Gun for Hire
by Anknownymous
Summary: Piper had a big problem on her hands. Handcuffed hands. With no money and no idea where she was or who arranged her kidnapping, she had to find a way to bribe a guileful gunner and convince him that her life was worth more than caps. The job ended up costing both of them more than they thought. [M!OC x Piper. Rated M for our favorite warning: contains NSFW content].
1. Mister Handy

_**Chapter 1: Mister Handy**_

* * *

No windows. Bars caged her in.

Piper thought she was in Diamond City's lock up; but Piper Suite had sleeping bags, not a mattress. Piper Suite had a bucket, not a makeshift stall. Piper Suite had security guards.

Not gunners.

Gunners. All the arsenal and training of the Brotherhood of Steel, all the moral character of the neighborhood bully. They were just another raider gang that played pretend in fancier clothes; but if there was one thing, out of _many _lessons, that Piper learned over the course of her dangerous career, it was not to underestimate mercenaries.

Beyond her cell, two gunners played cards. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep every time their heads turned towards her. She kept fear and panic at bay with a silent mantra, commanding her to remain calm and analyze the situation. At least she had bed sheets covering her. She hid her wincing behind the blanket any time she tried to move her hands, her wrists tenderized and chafed raw by the handcuffs wound too tightly.

Mutters piqued her curiosity; she strained to hear, hoping to pick up information of what the gunners intended to do to her. It was obvious someone wanted her alive, or she wouldn't be here, otherwise... But how long would that immunity last? Why was she kept prisoner? Did they plan to interrogate her? Torture her? Sell her to whichever slaver placed the highest bid? How the hell was she supposed to escape from here, and what would happen to Nat if she _couldn't?_

Piper needed answers to a million more questions.

All she could do now was steal peeks and survey the room; there was water dripping from a shower head in the corner. Wherever she was, it was a safehouse with adequate water and power supply, something rare and treasured in the Commonwealth. No doubt there were more than two gunners guarding this place, especially if they often bunkered down in places of tactical merit or filled with troves of pre-war technology.

Hunger pangs softly clenched her guts; it was the only method to gauge how much time passed, apart from when the guards left for bathroom breaks before they returned to their card game and mundane chatter. Not that the information helped her any, anyways. She drew the sheets over her head and swallowed the lump that grew in her throat, trying to ignore the burning behind her eyes. Then something creaked, and chairs hastily scraped back. She lifted the blanket and peeked through a small sliver of space, watching as the only door opened, and the gunners saluted to another man.

"Status update." A thick and strange accent; it bore striking resemblance to Goodneighbor's bartender, Whitechapel Charlie.

"Nothing new to report, Sergeant! The prisoner is still sleeping." The gunners appeared to squirm under the scrutiny of the sergeant's gaze.

A gaze that flicked to her.

Piper let go of the sheets, but she doubt she did it in time. She chewed her lip and cursed herself when the sergeant cleared his throat. "Both of you are dismissed."

"...Sir?"

"You heard me. Don't question my orders." The gravelly voice rubbed her all the wrong ways; she could already tell she didn't like this man at all. "I'll start my shift now, unless you'd like to be bored for a few hours more." Footsteps made way to her cell, and her heart sank. She could almost taste the uncertainty in the air, but she didn't dare look, doomed to suffer with this dread coiling around her lungs. The guards bid hasty apologies, soon followed by a creaky door slamming shut.

She was all alone. She felt safer with those two gunners instead of this one.

"Oi. I know you're awake. Come out from there." A series of deafening clangs reverberated in her ears and she gave herself away when her handcuffed hands shot up to cover an ear. She sighed when he chuckled and tore down the sheets off her head, shooting a glare at the sergeant, who appeared unmoved by her silent threat.

Being locked up like an animal probably didn't help her intimidation factor.

"C'mon, get over here already." He tapped the edge of a food tray against bars. "Just 'cause we got all day don't mean y'hafta waste it "

Piper narrowed her eyes in defiance. It was ridiculous how she curled up under the blanket like a toddler, groping for security and comfort where none could be found. She could posture tough all she wanted, but nothing frightened her more than the unknown; and she didn't know what this man was capable of.

Keys jingled in his other hand and he unlocked her cell door. Instinctively, she shimmied until her back pressed against the bars, as if it would even help her get away. She refused to let fear show on her face even when the sergeant walked to her, and she looked down to avoid eye contact, noticing something handy. There was a gun strapped to each of his thighs; if she could catch him off guard and-

"Don't even think 'bout it, luv."

Deadpan eyes bore into her. She couldn't read anything from this guy. "What do you intend to do to me?"

"Askin' the wrong guy, I know bugger all. Dunno who you are." He dropped the food tray on a table beside her bed. "Half the work was gettin' you here, other half is gettin' you out to someone else. After that? Their problem." He shrugged. "Yours too, I guess. I know it won't be mine."

Piper grit her teeth. "Who's paying your bills?"

"Not my business. Don't ask don't tell, luv. Knowin' shite that backs jobs like this is well above my paygrade and I like it that way, s'long as I get paid." He jerked his chin to her blanket. "Now show me your hands and I'll unlock your cuffs. Play nice, an' we can play a game of cards."

That plucked a nerve right where it really hurt.

"A game of-" her throat tightened, voice cracking under fury. "You _kidnapped_ me, and you think I'm just going to play cards with you until you sell me off? What kind of idiot do you take me for?!"

"The kind that's found herself here?"

"I didn't find myself here, you did!" Piper hissed as she shot up into sitting, thrusting her hands out at him to be freed.

Let him take full responsibility for his stupidity and free her from her restraints, he's begging for it.

"Look, it's nothin' personal and I'm only here to keep an eye on ya. It's just a job."

"It's just my life," she corrected, nostrils flaring. The sergeant said nothing and jerked on the chain of her handcuffs; she cringed as they drilled into her wrists and was more than ready to cuss him to the high heavens, but they were unlocked before she could. Then he left her in her cell. An open cell. He was either cocky or naive, and she was willing to bet that he was the _definition_ of arrogance.

"This is your only chance to muck about, luv." He made himself comfortable at the table as he gestured to the cards. "Once my shift's over, you're back to nicking a gander 'round the room for another eight hours, unless I feel like swinging by and savin' ya again."

Eight hours. Good. It was something to help her tell the passage of time now. All she has to do was keep this dimwit talking, to underestimate her and what she could do with the power of information. She sat up and took her tray into her lap, eyeing the can of beans and pack of cigarettes with suspicion. Could any of it be laced with chems? She stole a wary glance at the sergeant, who shuffled the cards.

"Count of ten 'fore I close ya back up in there. Te-"

"Alright alright," she grumbled, reluctantly taking her tray as she walked over to join him at the table.

Honestly, she wasn't entirely sure what to think or feel about this man, even with the invisible _dumbass_ tattooed on his forehead. For some reason, he didn't truly strike her as one; she learned long ago through far too many trials and errors that she should trust her gut feeling. She couldn't underestimate him no matter how foolish he appeared, and if he was smart, he told himself the same thing about her. She couldn't make any overt moves to appeal to his humanity though; not until she had proof that he wasn't nothing but a selfish asshole who's only priority in life was caps.

Shouldn't be hard to gather evidence like that in a den of gunners.

Card tricks played with her eyes; it wasn't the only trick he was playing. His casual demeanor threw her off and she still couldn't get a read from him. She set her food aside and sat across from him when he set the deck down, snatching her pack of cigarettes from the tray. He took one and struck a match to light it, then slid the pack back to her.

"Go on, know you smoke." He tossed the matchbox to her. "Got the pack from your pockets."

"What a surprise that you stole those too."

"What a surprise you're sittin' here with a mouth like that."

God damn it all, why did this dumbass have to be a smartass?

Piper scoffed as she tore a cigarette and match out, seeking the comfort of nicotine to calm her fast-fraying nerves. She took whatever she could get; she _needed_ to remain calm if she wanted to pump this guy for all the information he's hiding from her. She pointed her chin at the deck, watching him past the haze of smoke and the glowing orange embers as she dragged from her cigarette. Her stomach twisted when he smirked wolfishly.

"Ever play 'cheat', luv?"

"No, but I bet you're _real_ good at that," she fired off, proud of just how easy it was to jab at this jerk. Unfortunately, he was still unfazed. No doubt he got this with everybody else he fucking kidnapped and sold. "And stop calling me love, Mr. Handy."

His brow quirked in amusement. "Mr. Handy?"

"Your accent, it's like the Mr. Handy robots." Piper snuffed the remnants of her cigarette in an ashtray and picked up a spoon to poke her can of beans. Her hunger got the better of her and growled in anticipation as she opened the can, but always made sure to keep a wary eye on the sergeant; something she knew he was also doing under the guise of nonchalance. She wasn't falling for anything he said or did. Not like she could afford to, with her life on the line. Didn't mean she couldn't be snarky as all hell towards him. He owed her that and much, _much_ more.

"You grow up with them?" Piper sassed as she devoured her food in record time, leaving nothing to chance; especially if an opportunity to escape presented itself sometime soon. She hadn't forgotten about the guns strapped to his thighs. All she had to do was figure out a way to get to them before he did.

"None of your business," he muffled around his cigarette as he picked up the deck, throwing the cards down with more force than was actually necessary. Good. She plucked a nerve, found a way in. She needed to learn everything she could before his shift ended; eight hours ought to be plenty.

"So what's your name? Got to call you something other than _Asshole._"

"Asshole is my middle name, luv." The sergeant deadpanned, not even looking up at her as he continued to split their cards.

Piper rolled her eyes and finished her meal, lighting up another cigarette for the consistent comfort of nicotine to keep herself calm before she blew up her only chance of getting out of here. "Told you to stop calling me love," she grumbled, shooting him a glare when he had the gall to smirk, however subtly.

"I will, once you pay me."

A true mercenary at heart.

_Shocking._

"Yeah sure, look at me and the caps spilling out my pockets. Caps you helped yourself to, didn't you?" Piper groaned when his smile grew. "_Asshole._"

"Right-o, luv. Wasn't me though, I ain't in charge of this op. Wouldn't be sitting here if I was."

"And you have no clue who I am and who you're handing me off to, at all? Does your boss know?"

_Asshole_ shrugged. "All I have are my orders, and that's to make sure you're alive and well. Who knows, luv, maybe this is just an escort job."

"Escort?" Piper's face fell flat. "Right, because my mysterious guardian angel would hire _gunners _to knock me out and stick me in a cell. I hope they aren't wasting a ton of caps to pay a shitty liar like you." She sighed and dropped her head in her hands. The ashes of her cigarette fell on the table, and she frowned when the makings of a headache trickled in to throb behind her eyes. She massaged tiredly, ignoring the itchy feeling of the sergeant's gaze on her. It made her feel dirty... Probably because she actually _was_ dirty. Hygiene was the least of her concerns though.

"Knockin' you out wasn't part of the plan," he grunted lowly, unperturbed when she shot daggers at him. Bet he got this look all the time.

"So what was?" She relaxed in her chair, snuffing out her cigarette even before it was finished. Aggravation took over composure, setting her nerves on fire for every second this bullshit kept ticking on. Anger loosened her tongue and she mocked his accent. "Invite me f'tea an' have uh potty?"

"Y'know with an attitude like that, are you really surprised you're stuck here, luv?" He scoffed, waving dismissively. "If someone went outta their way to pay us a pretty hefty sum just to capture you and keep your barmy arse alive, then that means y'pissed off the wrong people and they've got _plans _for you." The sergeant tossed the rest of the cards on the table, resting his elbows and leaning forward. His emotionless grey eyes were intimidating, but more... Sad. How could he not feel anything for her plight? How could he even _accuse_ her that this was her fault? If he knew what kind of woman she truly was, he wouldn't.

"Hefty sum, huh? If it's caps you want, I'll pay you double... No, _triple_ the cut they're going to give you if you help me get out of here." Piper refused to back down, leaning forward to look him dead in his dead eyes. His gaze never wavered. Her stomach coiled nervously when a glint of greed flickered across his features. She wasn't sure if she was relieved that he wasn't loyal to his boss; a critical thing to remember for herself if this goes off without a hitch, to pay more than whoever will counter-offer her in the future.

"Triple the amount? Before you go bargainin' promises, luv, you better get a handle of the original deal 'fore y'end up gettin' in over your head."

"I already am, and I'd rather keep my head-"

"And mouth." _Asshole._

"-where it is, thank you." Still, it couldn't hurt to know. She grew uncomfortable from his proximity and leaned back in her chair again, fidgeting with her allotted cards. "I'll play you a game of poker for it too." He probably rigged the deck, but she literally had nothing to lose. "Each round I win, that's fifty caps I don't have to pay you. If you win, that's fifty extra for you."

"Five-oh? You need another zero if you want to make a dent in my pay." The sergeant slung an arm over the chair's spine as he picked up his cards, and his smirk _grew._ Was that to intimidate her and bluff that he had a good hand, or genuine? His arrogance wasn't helping her anxiety. "But since I like ya, I'll cut it down to half if y'give me somethin' else _when_ I win..."

"Something... Else...?" Piper chewed on her lip when his eyes dipped down, making her shudder with disgust when she felt utterly naked under his scrutiny. She crossed her arms over her breasts, narrowing her eyes as if she was as dangerous as she _wasn't, _not without a gun in her hands. "**No.** Touch me and I promise you that _you'll_ pay, and it won't be in caps."

"Touch you?" His forehead creased in confusion and his eyes shot back up to hers, throwing her off; even more so when he suddenly started laughing. "What? No!" He waved his cards dismissively, pointing at her chest. Her eyes followed. Her heart sank. "I want your green scarf, luv."

_Fuck._ He wasn't just a mercenary; he was a true gunner at heart.

Would he still be loyal to her caps instead? Risks have always paid off for her in the past, but even she was painfully and _recently_ aware that her luck wouldn't last forever. She held her head high and treasured what little confidence she had left. "Fine. But the scarf is the last thing on the pile; your things are on the line too."

"No deal." _Hah!_ He wasn't totally confident that he could win too. "I ain't playin' strip poker with ya. Just want your scarf and your caps."

"I-it's not strip poker," she tried to choke down the warmth that slowly flushed her throat; this was the worst time to blush, especially if he wasn't taking her seriously. She cleared her throat, struggling to hold his steady gaze. She _still_ couldn't read him, but he was bound to slip up sooner or later. "I want your guns. I think it's a fair deal."

"Oh sure~ it is," he drawled sarcastically, "is that all, luv?"

"No. I want you to stop calling me love too, and that's the first thing that goes." Fire sparked in her gut when he leaned forward again, a cocky and condescending smirk on his face. She was going to wipe it off. He'd see soon enough.

"Alright. If you win, I stop. But if I win, you _start._"

Piper snorted. "In your dreams!"

"Looks like my dreams are 'bout to come true, then."

"Game on, Mr. Handy_._"

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Some of you may recognize this story. I took it down initially because of some life circumstances, and hadn't re-uploaded it when I could because it turned out that the full story had only saved up to chapter 6 as some coding was lost during the transfer, and I was just too upset to rewrite the entire story at the time. _

_Special shout out to Pinson Linson who reached out to me and reignited my passion to rewrite Gun for Hire :) _

_As a heads up, chapter lengths will be relatively short as I'm limited to typing on the mobile app. Hope to see you in the next chapter, cheers!_


	2. Laid Bare

_**Chapter 2: Laid Bare**_

* * *

Sweat lined her brow. At least she wasn't the only one sweating.

Two cards were traded in, in hopes to complete another pair. Piper refrained from chewing her lip so that she wouldn't give any sort of tell if her hand turned out as a bust. She glanced at Mr. Handy, shifting uncomfortably when his intense gaze never left her for a _second._ His staring made her more nervous than her hand.

"Raise," he grunted, unbuttoning his shirt. Thank god he was the only one that was stripping so far, barring her scarf. It would be missed. Maybe she could win it back before she got a shot at his guns.

"I can't do anything with clothes twice my size." Piper covered her smirk with her cards when he shot her a deadpan look.

"And what am I s'posed to do when I start winning yours?"

"No way, my scarf is all you're getting." But not keeping - not for long anyways. "Caps after this, _if _you win."

"You're ruthless." Yeah. He was one to talk. He grumbled amusing curses under his breath as he shirked his shirt off. "I'm playin' for clothes and-"

"Ah ah ah, a deal's a deal. Fifty caps knocked off each time, and so far I've won back three hundred." She picked up his army hat, grinning smugly as she fit it right on top of her cap. It was entertaining to watch the sergeant squirm now that the tables have been turned. Her eyes roved over his chest and dog tags when he threw his shirt on the betting pile. He sighed as he combed his hand through his short hair, a stark contrast to his thick beard. It was like all his hair fell down to his jaw.

"When do I get to see your guns?" Piper lilted teasingly, trying to convince the little warning voice in her head that this was confidence and not cockiness.

"Right here," he flexed his arm to kiss his bicep, chuckling wryly when she rolled her eyes. He picked up his cards with a halfhearted shrug. "Forget it, I'm not lettin' you so much as _breathe_ on my babies."

Why was she not surprised that a gunner was emotionally attached to his guns? She was willing to bet caps he even had names for them.

"What if I hold my breath?" She fanned herself with her cards. Why had it gotten so hot in this room?

It had nothing to do with him, of course not.

"No deal, luv. No point in it for you anyways 'cause they don't have bullets, if ya reckon you can steal and shoot me." The sergeant jerked his chin to her cards. "Now, I'll show you mine if y'show me yours." The _places_ that took her mind never ceased to warm her cheeks, but she valiantly fought off her blush. It had been a _long_ time since she had seen a man without a shirt on; a friendly man and non-raider, anyways. Or semi-friendly.

Piper frowned when her mind wandered back to what he said. "I won't shoot you. 'Reckon' I'm surrounded by a hundred more gunners outside this room."

Mr. Handy stared blankly, giving nothing away except what was in his hand. She was surprised to see a .44 round reveal itself as his palm unfolded; that meant his guns were some kind of revolver. Serious stopping power, but rare rounds. Was it just to compensate and intimidate, or was that the luxury of a gunner's life?

"I take 'em out and hide them for a reason, luv." So much for not calling her love if she won. "Not the first time I've heard bollocks like that. I've been knocked down, blown up, lied to, shit on, and shot at, so nothing surprises me much anymore. All I believe in is caps and whatever story the client wants me to buy."

Oh, no, no, _no._ That simply wouldn't do. She wouldn't stand for it. "What if the lie they're selling you puts your life in danger?"

"What's new, or should I say, what's different? It's the usual." He chuckled, waving dismissively as he dropped his cards down with the bullet. "Did ya hear me? Nothin' surprises me much anymore 'cause it's all happened, and I'm still here. But one truth's universal no matter which arse end of this 'wealth you go, caps are the only thing that's dependable and what counts most. Ain't matter how y'dress it up with whatever fancy words are sittin' in yer noggin."

"I don't believe that." Piper tried not to draw attention to the card game when she stole a glance at her hand, and her heart sank; she _definitely_ lost this round. Dearly. "People don't help each other just for caps alone."

"People don't help each other, period."

"You haven't met everyone in the world."

"And you have? What's the next shite y'gonna spit out yer arse, that you're one of them nice shitwits?" Mr. Handy crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, making lights reflect off his stupid shiny chest. Piper gaped dumbly, shooting a glare at his deadpan tease. "My eyes are up here, luv."

Cards tossed down, she took off both her hats and threw his back to him. "Having a heart isn't stupid, _Asshole._ Everyone needs a hand. Even you."

"What my hand needs are caps." The sergeant swung his cap in the air to fix it, fitting it loosely on his head as he made a point to look up at it. "But I'll let it slide this round. I'm a patient man, and I can tell that you're good on your word; you'll pay me back when the time is right."

She'd pay him back, alright.

But not in caps.

"Oh? What makes you so sure and _cocky_ of that, huh?" She leaned forward and pushed the brim of his hat up, revealing the gunner's blood-type tattoo above his eye. She still had her doubts about him helping her. "You just going to round up your buddies and kidnap me again, sell me off into slavery until I pay off my debts?"

Deadpan eyes honed in on her. "Not a bad idea, luv." The nerve of this heartless jerk! "And here I thought I'd take you under my wing, get rid of that naiveté of yours."

"Wipe that smug look off your face," she growled, throwing her cards at him with a huff. "And just deal again. Waste of breath talking to you."

He smirked. "You'd make a fine gunner."

Ugh. _Asshole..._

**x - x - x**

"Last hour of my shift, luv. If y'want somethin' that's doddle, better ask now. The privates ain't authorized to engage in no bollocks with you." The sergeant stood to stretch, then tightened the belt to his gaudy green cargo pants. She watched him warily, growing more bitter and suspicious the longer they went on without talking about anything meaningful. She still didn't know his name. His _real_ name, anyways.

There was a shower in the corner that she kept her eye on, and Piper worried her lip in contemplation. It was more so a safety eye-wash station, but the shower head dripped water. She jerked her chin towards it. "Does that actually work or is it just leaky?"

"The shower? Yeah it works. If y'need the water closet then that's only in your cell; and before you ask, y'wouldn't want to see the loos we gotta use."

"Water... Closet...?" Piper reluctantly rose, following his lead when he walked over to the makeshift shower. There weren't any curtains.

"You know. Washroom? Toilet? I'm sure y'think I'm a right wanker after our_ lovely_ chat, but contrary to what y'think, I still respect your privacy."

"You say that like you built this," she scoffed, crossing her arms to shield herself; she felt vulnerable just imagining showering without curtains. "Which is a lie, since you're not the boss around here."

"You're right, I'm just a grunt. And grunts do the dirty work." The sergeant grabbed a handle beside the shower head and gave it a pull, standing aside to show her how it worked before he released the handle to shut it off. "I got most of the amenities in here; I'm paid to guard people, not manky mutts."

"And here I was about to make the _mistake_ of thinking you've got a heart." Piper rolled her eyes, giving him a pointed look when he just stood there and watched her. "Are you going to guard me while I take a shower or what? If you're looking for a show, you're not getting one." Mr. Handy shrugged but said nothing, walking back to sit at their table. He had the perfect view of her, and he clearly didn't have an ounce of manners in him. "You can still see-" she trailed off when he kicked his feet up on the table and balanced on the hind legs of his chair, pushing the brim of his hat down until it touched his nose and blocked half his face.

"Think real hard why there's a fuckin' stall in your cell, y'barmy bird. I ain't interested in seeing yer bloatfly tits."

"B-bloatfly...!" Piper's face flamed instantly. Horrible images came to mind, and her self-consciousness got the better of her as she looked down, trying to perk her breasts as she pushed them up with her crossed arms. Then she huffed. "It's because of my jacket..."

"Whatever helps you get a kip later, luv."

What a freaking _asshole._ Honestly, his attitude was just making Piper want to find someone else to bribe and get her out of here. She would rather take her chances at the trade-off and make a run for it, especially if the gunners' orders were to keep her alive and well. She glared at the sergeant, studying him as she stepped aside and reached for the shower handle, just to see what he'd do once he heard the water running.

No reaction.

Not physically, anyways.

"If yer gonna try to trick me," the corner of his mouth curled up in an obnoxious smirk, "at least fake sounds of undressing and put your foot over the drain."

_Ugh._ Positively insufferable.

"How do I know someone else won't walk through that door and see me?"

"Oh for the love of-" his head lulled back with a groan. The chair slammed down when he swung his legs off and grabbed her scarf, marching over to her. He stood between her and the door, his back to her. "And before you ask-" he pushed his hat up and tied her scarf around his eyes. "-there, blindfold. Can't see nothing and my back's to ya. I'm trusting _you_ not to make a move on me."

"As if!" She scoffed, shoving him by his shoulder. It was as solid as stone; _hello,_ ideas. "If anything, you're the one who'd try to get handsy, Mr. Handy."

"What?" The sergeant glanced behind him and thumbed his blindfold up; yeah, real reassuring that he couldn't just do _that _while she showered. "I meant my _babies,_ luv. I don't care if ya cop a feel." There was that damn smug smirk again. "Know you want to. Y'got a great poker face, luv, but yer real shite 'bout hiding where those eyes go."

"Are you the king of arrogance around here, or what? I already said you're the one who'd try."

"I would," he shrugged. "Why not?" Yeah. He was definitely not helping her doubt and insecurity. "You're a good looker, and I like a nice bonfire in a sassy woman."

"Just how depraved _are_ you?" Heat crawled up her throat, but it wasn't only a blush; anger found it's way to drip off her tongue. "You sleep with all the people you fucking kidnap before you sell them off to slavers and rapists? Pretend you're not doing the same thing just because you're content with your 'commanding officer' taking responsibility for your actions?"

A groan spilled from him as he turned back around, fixing the blindfold back on. "Jesus, it don't matter if I compliment ya or sass ya back. Y'needa lighten up, luv, or-"

"Don't tell me to 'lighten up'!" She snapped, shoving him by his shoulders again. Her rage intensified when he had the gall to take off the blindfold and give _her_ an annoyed look. Everything about him pissed her off more than her situation itself. "I've been fucking kidnapped and I don't know what's going to happen to me. I'm stuck with a cocky asshole who thinks this is all just harmless fun and games, who talks and acts like a freaking Mr. Handy robot, and-"

Lips crashed over hers.

Every fucking fuse in her brain blew up and she burst; she slammed her fists against his chest and thrashed free, slapping him as hard as she could. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve until her mouth chafed raw. Tears burned in her eyes, but she was too choked up to yell anymore; and she refused to fall apart in front of someone who surely preyed on such vulnerability. She pushed past him, marching back to her cell. Being locked up like an animal inside meant she would be safe from the _predator_ outside.

Nothing was said for a time as she slammed the cell door closed, ignoring the voice mocking her in her head for hiding like a child as she sought the safety and privacy of her bed sheets. She threw them over her head and curled into a ball, letting her emotions flow free as she broke down in a quiet sob, wiping her mouth over and over again. She felt filthier than before.

Especially when a tiny part of her _liked_ the kiss.

Shame overwhelmed her; this was a ruthless man who cared nothing for her except her caps, if he was even serious about taking up her offer. Most likely not. She was nobody to him. She still didn't know his name, and what was worse was that he hadn't even bothered asking for hers. Not once. That was a clear hint as to where his allegiance and intentions lied.

Heavy footsteps echoed in her ears, and nausea wracked her as her stomach coiled with fear. What was he going to do now? What was he going to _steal _next?

Horror gripped her just thinking of every woman's nightmare. She drew her knees closer to her chest, ready to spring into action and try to grab one of his revolvers to fight for freedom. Even if there weren't any bullets inside, she could beat him with the butt of the gun. As soon as pressure closed in on her shoulder, she started to turn. His voice stopped her cold.

"Sorry, luv... I wasn't thinking. I just wanted... I don't know. To calm you down. Shite idea, I know; I deserved that slap, I did. That wasn't your first was it?"

And the force of her silent sob kicked the air out of her lungs. She burrowed her face between her knees, struggling to keep herself from crying like a little girl. Instead, she took vengeful pride in the toxic scorn spilling out in a hiss, uncaring if he could hear her or not. "What's it to you? With where I'm going to end up, it's not going to be my last. Not like you care as long as you get your stupid caps, right?"

Cringe-worthy creaks flooded the room, rusty hinges shrieking somewhere. Piper's heart dropped to her stomach when a new voice entered the room. "Sergeant Gat!" Gat; was it his name or nickname? "Prep the prisoner; we're meeting with our client and doing the exchange within the hour. Make sure she's presentable."

Never before had the pause of a second felt as long as it does now. Regret kicked her right where it hurt, especially when there was absolutely no hesitation on Mr. Handy's part. If she reacted differently, if she hadn't hit him, would he answer differently too? At least a little _slower?_

"Aye aye Commander, right away sir."

Boots thudded together. These stupid pretend-soldiers were probably saluting each other. When the door shrieked open and shut, the bed sheets were ripped off. Piper yelped when she was yanked off the bed by her arm, enraged by the sight of her scarf around his neck, wrapped around fashionably with the loose ends draped over his body armor. He sure dressed up real quick.

Instinct and adrenaline fueled every muscle fiber in her body and she fought back, thrashing and hitting his forearm with everything she had. Every time she tried to kick his knees, he stepped to the side and pushed her leg back down, making pain shoot up her heel when it slammed into the concrete floor.

Anything she attempted was immediately countered, and it pissed her off that he was oh so preciously _careful_ not to hurt her, if only not to threaten his share of caps.

"Let me go, asshole!"

"No can do, luv."

"What happened to our agreement?!"

"I never agreed to any deal."

His swift and deadpan calm struck cruel realization and confirmed her worst doubts, his intentions laid bare. She descended into panic, desperately tugging and kicking and punching to no avail. She was dragged along as if she were some wild animal on a leash, totally helpless. No one was here to help her, caps or not. Eventually she resigned to her fate, or made it _look_ that way, and reserved her strength for another opportunity. She was taken down hallways where gunners leered greedily at her. In place of a woman, a living breathing human being just like them, they see money.

His voice was the only thing she could hear in every thought, tainting naiveté after all.

_"People don't help each other, period."_


	3. Just Another Job

_**Chapter 3: Just Another Job**_

* * *

If a kidnapping took place, Piper would have been one of the first to accuse the Institute. Maybe it was still them, using the gunners to cover their tracks. With their professionalism, discretion, and the convenient shroud of the Commonwealth's boogeyman, no one would think twice to investigate who was really doing the dirty grunt work.

And she was about to get a first-hand experience of how the underbelly of this sick game worked.

Handcuffed both hands and feet, she was shoved along by Sergeant Gat. If that really was his name, then being a gunner was probably some sort of fucking time-honored family tradition if his parents named him a slang variant of _gun._ She glared at him every time he pushed her, but she couldn't say anything with a gag stuffed in her mouth. The other gunners chatted among themselves; all of them were disgustingly eager to collect the caps for this job. That was all she was.

How many people suffered this fate?

Piper tried to eavesdrop whenever the commander of the unit called other high-ranking officers over. It pissed her off, as anything did if it involved him, that Gat didn't seem interested in the same, shoving her harder when he caught on to what she was trying to do.

Destroyed trees and dirt deserts of the wasteland plains stretched for miles; she wondered where the exchange was supposed to be. The sun was setting and it was going to be dusk soon, unnerving her. She wouldn't have a clear view of where to run for safety and she didn't recognize these buildings. What if she wasn't in the Commonwealth anymore? More importantly: if someone arranged for her capture, what about Nat? Was she going to be roped into this, or would she be left alone to fend for herself in this wretched world? She could, she was smart; but Piper was the one that brought in the caps, and Diamond City wasn't exactly known for lending a helping hand to strangers. Especially to the one who was the sister of Diamond City's most hated woman.

No. There was no choice _but_ to escape. Piper would fight tooth and nail to survive as she always had; if not for herself, then for her little sister. Nat better have not been dragged into this bullshit. Piper would never be able to look at herself in the mirror if something ever happened to her only family left.

Maybe she wouldn't even get a chance to look in the mirror.

"Sergeant Gat, put the bag on her head."

"Aye aye, Commander." Gat still didn't hesitate. He held her by the handcuffs and stepped on the chain linking her feet together; her screams were muffled by the gag and she tried to wrestle away, only for darkness to blot her world. The world that was about to change when she descended to a whole new level of hell.

"Cut it out," he hissed, "you're just wasting your strength and my time."

What the hell else was she supposed to do?! Roll over and accept death?

"Donf gih phuh abow yer tihe," she growled, praying he still understood her gibberish somehow. In case if he didn't get the idea, she blindly flailed both middle fingers and grit her teeth, or tried to anyways, when the other gunners laughed and mocked her.

Gat sighed. "Then give a fuck about your own time." Good, at least he understood her. Too bad he was only infuriating her even more.

If she got free, the first thing she was doing was pay this man _exactly_ what he deserved.

Feet ached and burned with every step as they walked for what felt like an eternity. Piper struggled to keep her breathing under control before she ended up hyperventilating and passing out, and the heat was relentless even now. The gag didn't help. The bag definitely less so. Maybe that was their plan? The voices outside were muted and distorted even more; just what kind of bag did Gat stick on her?

Handcuffs were tugged and she came to a full stop. Her heart raced up to her throat when she heard other voices, and Gat brushed shoulders with her. She jerked to shake him off, cringing when a firm hand wrapped around her bicep in a painful grip. Her bag lifted just a touch and brushed the underside of her jaw, a low murmur filling in the space and echoing inside the tight space that caged her. "You definitely pissed off the wrong people, luv."

Oh, what a sweet man. He was like the definition of reassurance. Just rub it in and make it all worse, because why not?

"A drug cartel? You play hooky 'fore y'tried to hook it?"

He was also severely lacking common sense. How was she supposed to answer him with a gag in her mouth? She tried shaking her head, biting down on the cloth in frustration when he grumbled insults under his breath. Whatever his opinion was of her right now was the least of her concerns; if a cartel was truly the mastermind behind this operation, then she would be hard pressed to find the smallest vestiges of mercy.

Whatever end awaited her would not be pleasant.

Ideas were few and far in between as she wracked her brain for _something,_ but came up with nothing. She couldn't try to run away, not when she was shackled both hands and feet. She couldn't see, and even if she could, she wouldn't know where she was or where to go. Helplessness and hopelessness slowly consumed her with every option debunked, and desperation grew when she was shoved forward, exchanging hands. Another accent flooded the space choking her. "It's been a long time comin', girly. Yer gon' pay for bangin' us up in Diamond City's hen pen and destroying the nice network I set up."

And before she could even think to scream, something pricked her thigh.

Darkness became her world.

**x - x - x**

Waking up had never been so unpleasant and painful.

Pressure pushed her sore ribs in while her hands and feet dangled free, but she had only a small amount of range before one movement tugged on the opposite limb; she rocked back and forth, almost as if she was slung over an animal. A brahmin? It was the least of her concerns soon enough when the remnants of sleep were shaken off by fear and nausea.

Shots rang out in an orchestrated symphony, rising to a crescendo with curses hailed to the heavens. She shook her head and just barely reached to take the bag off, squinting to protect her eyes from the harsh sunlight that burned the darkness away. She was hoisted over the brahmin like cargo, rope looping over the chain of her handcuffs and under the brahmin's belly, connecting around the shackles slapped on her ankles.

"Dammit..."

How the hell was she supposed to get out of this now? She couldn't reach far enough to chew the rope. Damn if she wouldn't still try though.

Piper hissed in pain when she tried to bring the cuffs to her mouth and cringed when her legs were reefed forward, stretching the backs of her knees to a new level of agony and discomfort. She looked around, trying to figure out what happened to her captors. She was hidden away in an alleyway, surrounded by tall crumbling buildings.

They looked familiar, that was one piece of good news. She was still in the Commonwealth.

Adrenaline pumped through her and she nearly caught the rope between teeth, wincing when it chafed her lips instead. She tried not to think about how ridiculous she looked; there would be a time where she'd laugh about this, but survival _kind of_ took priority over dignity.

"Sniper's up on the roof! Mother fucker's jumping between buildings!" Came a distant shout. Panic surged through her and reminded her that she didn't have the luxury of time on her side; she refused to get shot in the ass and die on top of a fucking brahmin. She tried to catch the rope again, inwardly cursing the brahmin for it's massive gut. The shots neared, making blood rush and pound right in her ears. Beads of sweat trickled down her face and she cussed when her hat fell off.

Why couldn't she be the one who fell off instead?

An entire year, or what felt like it, passed; it became deathly silent. She stopped moving, stopped breathing, stopped thinking. Terror seized her. Muscles locked down upon the sounds of faint creaks and groans, like boots on metal. Part of her prayed whoever this sniper was, was _not_ competition. That was really all she needed right now, to be stolen and end up in the hands of some other cartel that fancied themselves as business men.

Muffled steps hit stone, gradually coming straight for her. She reluctantly lifted her head and watched the end of the alleyway; her breaths quivered, her ribs cried for mercy. The brahmin restlessly shifted about, grunting and groaning and kicking at the dirt.

"_Shut up, _or they'll find us because of you."

Maybe that's what it wanted, just so that it could get out of here and get this crazy lady off it's back. It's hooves pounded into the earth and it curled around, then _laid_ down. Piper groaned. Anything that could go wrong was going wrong right now. At least there was a bit more give in the rope now, and she seized the opportunity, tugging until she could bite the rope.

Claps made her freeze. Kicked pebbles rolled her way. She hesitantly looked over, and pure despair gripped her heart at the sight of a gas mask covering the _asshole_ who clearly needed to learn a thing or two about disguise. She'd recognize her green scarf and his cheesy army hat anywhere. Looks like she jinxed it; her knight in shining armor was just another jerk who fancied himself as a business man.

"Oh come on! _You,_ of all people? Just send me off with the cartel instead..." Piper sighed and dropped her chin on the brahmin, grinding teeth out of habit and frustration.

"Aw, that really hurts my feelings, luv. Nice to see you again too."

He may have not looked smug, thanks to the gas mask, but he sure as heck sounded like it. Stupid Mr. Handy accent.

Sergeant Gat walked to her, slinging the strap of his rifle across his chest. He took his hat off and peeled the gas mask away, tossing it aside as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "Took alotta work and bullets to catch up to ya." His overbearing concern for her was _touching._ Not. "These wankers meant painful business with ya, Boss."

Piper narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. Her stomach coiled nervously when he took out a knife to cut through her ropes. "Boss?"

"Yeah. You hired me, remember?" He sheathed the knife and took keys out his pockets; she'd never admit it out loud, but damn was she glad to see those. Just not him.

"What happened to not agreeing to any deals?"

"I haven't yet, we didn't discuss my pay; and there's _a lot _to discuss after what I went through to save your barmy arse. The pay I got handin' you off barely covers all the ammo I just used." Hopefully, for her sake, that meant ten bullets.

Piper glared at him, but bit her lip and held her anger back as he freed her and helped her off the brahmin. If he really was a fully-established asshole, he could've gotten his shits and giggles by keeping her on the brahmin and transport her like cargo. He was still an ass for waiting until he got _paid_ to rescue her though.

"You said before I'll need to try harder to make a dent in your original pay, so how much are we talking about to start?"

"Two thousand." Flat. Nonchalant. Not a bat of an eye. Not until he smirked when tragic realization struck her. "And you promised triple. Hope you got six thousand hiding somewhere, or we're going to be together for a _long_ time."

This... Was a _nightmare._

"I promised triple if you helped me escape!" Piper blurted, growing hot and flustered when he stood all casual, rugged and dust-ridden features set in a cheeky grin.

"I just did, didn't I?"

Oh.

Oh this _asshole. _He was certainly living up to his middle name.

Fists clenched, Piper snarled. God was he ever annoying, and he got under her skin so easily too. There was no way she was going to _hire _him. What for? She was free now. She didn't need him, and-

"'Fore you get any more ideas flashin' by those eyes, luv, that means you're already minge-deep in shite with me. I ain't goin' nowhere 'til I get my pay; but don't worry, I'll keep ya safe. Gotta keep an eye on my _investment,_ after all."

"Oh, fuck you." She rolled her eyes and marched past him, head held high, even with wobbly legs. "Don't think I'll just forget the part you played in all this and what you did to me. You'll get what you deserve, just you wait. Asshole." The gears turned in her head. Were they alone, or were there more mercenaries coming to hound her for this apparent debt she owed? "How in the world did you get away from all your _buddies_ anyways?"

"A job's a job, Boss, and this is just another job now. I was upfront with my C.O. after the exchange and reported what happened between us." His expression changed to be serious, surprisingly enough, when a blush made itself evident on her cheeks. He shook his head. "Nah, not the fun stuff; just our deal, luv." Fun? Only to him, maybe. "After that, my C.O. gave me permission to accept your contract. Our job and responsibility ended once we got paid; not the gunners' fault that the cartel couldn't handle one sniper."

"My contract? Keep talking. You're getting real close to slipping up everything that's left, even though you said you didn't agree to any deals."

"All things are negotiable, Boss. I don't care how or when I get my caps, as long as I get them. And I will."

_Wow._ His arrogance and lack of even understanding the concept of loyalty knew no bounds; it was like he was born by stabbing through the back of his mother. How in the world was Piper ever supposed to feel safe with him? She faced him and crossed her arms, puffing her chest to show she wasn't afraid of him. "So how am I supposed to know you won't turn on me after you get paid, huh?"

"What, stab you in the back? Nah, luv." He smirked. "I like watching your back."

"_Uh huh._ Somethin' tells me it's not out of the kindness of your heart. The heart you don't have." Piper huffed when he chuckled. She spun around and stomped off as she tried to quell the heat in her face, knowing exactly where his eyes were right now. A foul-mouthed mercenary with absolutely no manners was going to stalk her everywhere; he better respect the boundary that was her home, because he sure as hell wasn't going to be allowed in there.

God. Life just couldn't get any worse than this. At least all she had to do was scrounge six thousand caps together to get him off her back. Six thousand. _Totally_ pocket change... It seemed impossible, but she had to keep her chin up and her confidence strong. She could pull this off. Believing was half the battle, right?

She had to, before the next thing he stole from her was her sanity.

**x - x - x**

"You're Piper Wright? The 'reporter'?" If Gat was trying to stifle his amusement, he failed. Hard. "Thanks Boss, everything makes sense to me now."

Ugh, this guy! Just the look he gave her pissed her off. "I don't want to hear your opinion about my career-"

"_Career?_" A poorly repressed chuckle. He was _so_ begging for a smack.

"-from a gunner who's name is just slang for gun. What, had raiders for parents?"

"You were closer with the Mr. Handy robots, Boss."

That tempted her curiosity, but she didn't fall for it and refused to look at him. She marched down the stairs to Diamond City, counting her blessings that her little sister wasn't on the newstand podium. Nat couldn't meet Gat no matter what. They had to be in and out of the city before this mercenary caught whiff that Piper had family. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd go to any length to get his _pay._

All his snide attempts to rile her up went ignored, and she gave the cold shoulder instead. He needed a hobby. And a life.

And a _legitimate_ career like her.

Piper meandered in the marketplace, asking the traders if they had anything they needed help with. She shot daggers at the gunner every time he butted in and haggled or intimidated them into paying more. "Gat, they're not going to want help from me after-"

"We ain't helpin', luv. We're doing work, and a fair job deserves a fair pay. They're cheating you and you _know_ it."

Okay, she did, but that was besides the point.

"It ever occur to you that maybe they need those extra caps to survive?"

"Nope. They're running stores and don't have to worry about their merchandise getting stolen, or if a gang of raiders are gonna raze them to the ground." Gat shrugged. "But it occurs to me that maybe you need to look out for your own extra caps to survive. There's a reason why you're livin' in a run-down shack." He said that as if there were palaces around. "Especially if you're takin' on shite jobs for zero caps. It's bollocks, and-"

He was never going to stop rambling about money, was he?

"Look," Piper sighed dejectedly, taking her hat off to rake a hand through her hair. "I'm your employer now, right? Your 'boss'?"

He nodded.

"Then stop trying to take charge!"

"Someone has to if you're being charged and pushed around. Looks like to me that instead of askin' them for work, y'should ask them if you should save 'em time and bend over for 'em to screw you."

Dear God, the vulgar backtalk knew no limits. Piper massaged her forehead and stormed off before he made her explode from frustration. Everything that happened up to this point had been taken in stride as much as possible; but the truth of the matter was, it just really hadn't sunken in yet. Her mind was still reeling from the fact that she was kidnapped, and now she was working with one of her kidnappers. Just how messed up was all of this, and how messed up was she to actually _go along_ with this?

Piper wasn't sure if she was relieved it _wasn't_ the Institute after all, because it just reminded her that there were consequences for doing the right thing, just like her latest article by airing the mayor's dirty laundry to the public. As she asked around and collected more small jobs on the to-do list, Gat muttered behind her, but she dismissed it; not like a greedy and heartless mercenary like him had anything of substance to say.

...Okay, maybe that wasn't fair.

Harsh and rough around the edges he was, sure, but she acknowledged there was truth to some of the things he said. A truth that saddened her, though she guarded this secret closely, because she knew that this 'truth' was simply one of many that he, and many others, had learned throughout life in the Commonwealth. What those experiences were to bring up a man like this, she wasn't sure she actually wanted to find out.

A hand fell on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She looked back in annoyance, only to soften when she noticed the purple circles dusting under Gat's eyes. How long had he stayed awake, tracking the cartel until he made his move?

"You should get some rest, Boss. You've been through a lot."

Well... Wasn't this a surprise?

"'Sides, yer runnin' on no brain power. Any more asking 'round and this whole city is going to leave your minge sore."

Well. Wasn't this _not_ a surprise.

Searing heat pulsed at her nose and she ignored the fierce blush as best as she could. She hastily pulled away from him and stomped off, like the ten other times she had already done this thanks to him. It was times _exactly_ like these that she wished she hadn't spent so much time in The Third Rail and the way Whitechapel Charlie talked with drunk patrons, or else she'd remain blissfully oblivious to what all those words meant. What was worse was that she knew she was going to learn far more than she would ever want. But what hurt the most...

Was knowing that she was still just another job to him.


	4. Mister Handyman

_**Chapter 4: Mister Handyman**_

* * *

"Correct me if I'm wrong, luv, but I thought _you _were s'pose to be workin' for my caps?" Gat grumbled as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with his shirt, then got straight back into painting the Wall with Abbot. Piper simply sat on the edge of the mayor's podium and _supervised_ the gunner as she enjoyed a nice cold nuka-cola.

"What? I'm taking a break."

"You haven't even started paintin'!"

Good. _Good!_ She was the one under his skin this time. Revenge was sweet. She smiled sadistically and pretended to chase the straw around her nuka-cola, her eyes always on his the entire time, and struggled to keep the bubble of laughter in her chest when he groaned. She popped the straw in her mouth and sipped excruciatingly slow; too bad he didn't look through a scope to see the cola traveling up the straw.

"Hey!" Abbot yelled from the far end, "who said you could stop painting, lad? We ain't got all day, get back to work!"

"What about her? She ain't done bugger all!" Gat flung his hands in Piper's direction, but the old man resumed painting. She swore she saw the corner of a smile on Abbot's face. That didn't happen often. It seemed it was not just her own enjoyable hobby to sass the gunner and give him a hard time; it was surprising how he'd taken to menial tasks, though. Maybe he really did set up all those amenities in the cell she was held in before.

Stale heat beat down on them as the sun and humidity burned fresh air away. She unbuttoned her jacket and set her hat aside, pinching her shirt to fan it off her chest. Oh, what she'd _give_ to bathe in a clean lake right now. She smirked when Gat kept tugging at her scarf to loosen it's hold on his neck. "I won't take it if you take it off. You won it fair and square."

Something about the way he looked at her screamed he didn't trust her. "Yeah right, think I'm bleedin' blinkered or somethin', luv?" The hell did that even mean? "You'll swipe it soon before it falls to the ground." He pulled on a loose end, and she gasped when he started to lift it to his forehead. He stopped and looked at her with confusion when she waved frantically at him, then at the scarf. And he grinned.

Oh, _no._

"Tell ya what, luv; you leave it alone, and I won't use it as a towel."

"Deal!"

There was absolutely no hesitation. No way did she want his stinky sweat and dirty filth all over her treasured scarf; even if she washed it, his smell and icky body oil would have infused with the fucking fabric, knowing her luck. There was no way she was going to carry him around on her neck after they finally go back to their separate ways.

Gat took off the scarf, and he walked over to drape it over her lap. "Hold it for a sec." Not like she needed him to say it. Her fingers wormed around it in a white-knuckled grip, already dreading the moment she'd have to give it back to him. He stared at her hands with a blank look, then smirked up at her. "We can finish our poker game if y'want. I'm not an unreasonable man."

"No way. I've knocked off a ton of caps from what I'm supposed to pay."

"So y'don't _ever_ want your scarf back?"

"I'll get it back in another way." Piper popped the straw in her mouth and made sure to drink _extremely_ loudly, smirking when he shot her a deadpan look. He took off his shirt next, and she shuddered in disgust when he held it out to her as he turned around, thumbing at his sweaty back. "Ew, it's like a friggin' waterfall!"

"I know, it feels as gross as it looks. Wipe my back? It's the least you can do since I'm workin' for _your_ caps."

Piper groaned and set her nuka-cola aside to remove her jacket, and tried to use it as gloves as she pinched his shirt through her jacket. He glanced over his shoulder and laughed; without thinking, she made one of the biggest mistakes in her life. She punched his shoulder. His very _wet _shoulder, and her knuckles slipped over. She grabbed him before she fell forward and off the podium, her gloves absorbing his sweat. She cried out and in her panic, kicked him away, cursing him when all he did was laugh even as he stumbled.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Right, sorry luv, what an asshole I am for somehow _making_ you punch me."

"At least you're aware of it," she grumbled, running her gloved hands along her pants. She dumped her jacket aside and her gloves followed suite; she would wash them thoroughly before she wore them again. Gat came back with that bloody cheeky smirk on his face, and he swiped her nuka-cola before she reacted in time, popping the straw in his mouth. She watched the cola travel up the straw excruciatingly slow. "I hate you."

"I know," he cheekily replied, "I can see just how much in your eyes. You hate me so, _so_ much right now."

"I really, _really_ do." Piper hopped off the podium and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling at his antics; she should be upset and frustrated, not playful. She protectively hid her hat under her clothes and raked her hair back, catching a few beads of sweat from her forehead. She hadn't even started working and she already felt disgusting. They definitely needed to find a place to wash after this, and it wasn't going to be anywhere near Sheng's purification set up.

"Hey!" Abbot shouted, waving his paintbrush in the air. "If you young'uns are done horsin' around with each other, the Wall still needs paintin'!"

"Alright, alright!" Piper groaned exasperatedly, and marched to the paint buckets.

"Ooh, am I about to see you in action? Are you _actually_ going to work, or y'gonna write about workin'?" Gat teased, stepping back in time when she took another swipe at his shoulder. The suck of air through the straw rang hollow and her heart sank, eyeing the empty nuka-cola bottle. "Have you ever even painted anything before?"

"How hard could it be? I watched you do it long enough." Piper bent down and picked up one of the rollers, dipping it inside the tray. "Just stroke up and down, right?"

For some reason, Gat sucked in a sharp breath. She twisted to look out to the side, and her face flushed hotter when she saw him standing just a little ways offside, his eyes on her rump. She straightened immediately and tried to stop her own gaze from _wandering, _huffing as she stepped up to the wall. "Less staring, more working." As she reached to paint the first stroke, he gently grabbed her wrist and adjusted how she held the roller.

"Hold it like this, else yer hand is gonna cramp up in no time." Gat pushed her hand down at an angle, then up. "Paint in an _M_ or _W_ pattern and keep going until you fill in the section. Make sure you let the excess paint drip off the roller every time you dip it in the paint tray or it's gonna look like shite once we're finished; and I don't wanna hear th'old man complain about my work." He helped her apply the pattern several more times until she got the hang of it herself, and she stole little peeks at him. His gaze was always on the wall. He grabbed her hand again when she strayed from the pattern, guiding her into drawing a wide _W._

"Thanks," she mumbled, tucking her hair behind her ear out of nervous habit. She was a little disappointed when he hadn't answered, apart from a low grunt, but at least it wasn't some mocking or smartass answer. Don't say anything if there wasn't anything nice to be said, right? "How did you learn how to paint like this, anyways? The walls didn't look the greatest in the room I was in."

Gat laughed. "Gunners ain't concerned about painting and restoring shite; hard to find paint anyways."

"...Speaking from personal experience?"

"Somethin' like that." He was quiet. Too quiet. Quiet just wasn't _him,_ and she watched him as inconspicuously as possible. That failed when his eyes met hers. "Not every mercenary was born a mercenary, luv. They're made that way." She didn't know what to say, so she hummed; it was a truth she already knew. Silence fell in between them, and then he smirked, chuckling to himself. "Can you imagine? A baby screaming 'pay me!' when they're born."

"Now _that's_ got to be speaking from personal experience," she teased. She smiled when he gave her a playful shove, then groaned when his sweaty hand ruffled her hair.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, I'll work on the next section. Let's try and finish this by tonight; I want to try out that Dugout bar. Drinks are on me if y'want a beer."

"You want to paint this whole wall today? In _this_ heat?" Piper whined, and rolled her eyes when he simply picked up his share of tools and walked over on the other end.

Good work ethic, from what she observed. That couldn't have been something taught by mercenaries. She mused on what kind of man he used to be before becoming a gunner, and if there was any chance of convincing him to leave that life behind. No doubt he was losing caps like this if he was wasting time doing _her_ job. Why was he helping her pay off his debt to him, anyways? Probably to kill time, or just make sure that his _investment_ actually did get the money to pay him.

Regardless, she didn't think she could stop a mercenary from being a mercenary. She highly doubted Gat would be the type to settle down permanently, to give up guns and pick up rollers. It didn't stop her from stealing peeks over at him, and her face gradually felt hotter when she found herself staring at how his muscles worked in tandem with every stroke. Then he caught her, a wicked smirk on his stupid face.

"Less staring, more working!"

Piper threw her roller at him.

**x - x - x**

"Oh my god, we need to wash before we walk into that bar and kill people with our smell," Piper groaned when she pinched her shirt and stole a quick sniff. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and held her hands out when Gat approached her. "No, no, no, stay away. You smell the worst."

"We're in a city where nobody fuckin' washes themselves, luv. I'm pretty sure we smell spiffy compared to 'em." He combed his hand through his hair and slicked it back, totally drenched with sweat. _So_ gross. "Where the heck could we wash, anyways? You got a place?"

"Well... We could wash where the water purification center is, but I don't trust Sheng to actually keep the water _clean_ there. He's just a kid."

"No, I mean do _you_ have a place; somewhere yer stayin' at? If you don't have a shower, I can set one up for you."

Piper stared at him, trapped as to what she was supposed to do. Time ran out when he arched his brow. "Uh... You alright? Got heat stroke or somethin'?" He came closer, despite her earlier request, and touched her forehead. "Great, my boss fried what little brain she had left." Her fist automatically came out and caught him in the ribs. He laughed and grabbed her wrist when she tried to drill her knuckles into him. "There we go, knew you were still hidin' in there somewhere. So? Got a place?"

"I..." She chewed her lip, and sighed her _very_ reluctant answer. "I do."

"Alright then, let's go. S'long as you have a toolbox or know where I could borrow one for a bit-"

"You mean steal?"

"I mean _borrow. _Anyways, I'm pretty sure I can set something up for you. Probably won't be able to do it overnight, depending how far you are from the purifier."

"On the other side of the city."

Gat stared blankly. "Well, then." He rubbed his nape and sighed. "That complicates things."

"Don't worry about it," Piper smiled, however strained and small. "Let's just go outside the city, there's a nearby lake we can wash at."

"What's the difference between an irradiated lake or the water being filtered by the purifier? Should be less irradiated than out there; I got some rad away and rad-x too."

Piper worried her lip. She was running out of excuses to make sure Gat wouldn't run into Nat, and she knew Sheng liked to hang out with her sister. She didn't have a choice when he collected both of their clothes and bunched it up under his arm, then slung his duffel bag over his chest. "C'mon already, I wanna get our beers in before I pass out. Right knackered, I am. Reckon you are too."

"Yeah," she nodded, but a little less than enthusiastic. She reluctantly took the lead and saw the way he watched her, his brows furrowed in confusion. She couldn't keep this up forever. She searched the humble slice of docks for Sheng when they entered the designated bathing area, but he was nowhere to be found; probably already left for his night class.

"Now this is more like it," Gat sighed with relief, and left their things on top of the picnic table. He worked off his belt and unbuttoned his pants, and she whirled around.

"W-what are you doing? This is a public area, people are gonna see!" What if _Nat_ saw? "Or worse yet, kids."

"No one's gonna come out here at night, especially kids," Gat chuckled. "Besides, everybody has a wanker or minge. Nothin' nobody ain't seen before, 'cept you, apparently."

"Just wash with your clot-" her protest died when she heard a splash. She glanced over her shoulder, steaming when he was nowhere to be found. She marched up to the edge of the docks, an ominous feeling brewing in her stomach the moment she spotted bubbles coming up in a patch of water. He broke the surface and grabbed her ankle, pulling her in. His laughter was the last thing she heard before the world was muffled, submerged in cool water. It made her skin tingle and feel fuzzy though; she barely stopped herself from swallowing or breathing in time.

Piper resurfaced and thrashed about, trying to find him. She was going to _strangle_ him for this. Then she found him swimming around one of the pipes; his hand ran along it, seemingly inspecting it. He waved her over. "Hey, did you say a kid ran this place? How much do you think he'd be willing to pay to fix this right up?"

"Not much, maybe a handful of caps because that's all he'd have." She swam to him, but kept a safe distance away this time. She narrowed her eyes when he shot a quick cheeky smile at her. "Don't think I forgot about what you just did. Now I have to go home and change."

"Perfect! If y'don't mind, I'll stalk ya so I know where you live."

"Oh yeah, don't mind at all, of course not. That's not creepy at all." She rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder when he chuckled. "Ass."

"What? Need to make sure you ain't just gonna run away with your debt. 'Sides, I already know where you live."

"Even~ creepier."

"You honestly think I'd miss the huge 'Publick Occurrences' sign?" Would he ever pass up the opportunity to not be a smartass? Likely not. "It was _right_ beside the entrance. If that's you hidin', yer shite at it. Never lettin' you stake out on a rooftop with me or yer gonna hold up a sign over my head that says 'Bullets Occurences' or somethin' daft like that." He tapped the pipe and swam around on the other end. "Hey, what if I told the kid this pipe was gonna break soon? Think he'd cough up more caps?"

"Do you honestly think I'll help you gouge a _kid_ for money?" She wasn't even going to give him the satisfaction of showing his stupid sign mockery plucked a nerve. Too bad there were equal opportunities taken to be a dumbass too.

"Do you want to get rid of me or not?"

Piper frowned. "Not at the expense of screwing someone else over. If I'm your 'boss', then we do this my way. The honest way."

A blank look was on his face. His eyes changed, but it wasn't for better or for worse. There was something in them that she couldn't read, something reminiscent, and he slicked his hair back before he reached up to grab the docks. He pulled himself up without another word, and Piper hastily dove under when she got a full view of his naked state. Her cheeks burned as hot as the sun even in cold water.

Laughter roared in her ears when she broke the surface, starving and gulping for air. One look at the source had her diving under again. It went on like that until she just couldn't bear to do it anymore, _needing_ to breathe, and so hid under the docks when she did. She looked up and saw slivers of him through the cracks, and he knelt to look back at her. He tapped the dock. "I find it hard t'believe that a good looker like you ain't ever seen a cock before. Why are y'so shy?"

Piper huffed and glued her gaze to the turbulent water, still rippling from the force of all her swimming. She held on to the dock's post to give her weary limbs a rest. "Well, I haven't, because... Just because; and before you ask, it's none of your business. And it's rude to stare. It might come as a surprise to you, but some people have manners." And better word choice. Did he _have_ to be so vulgar?

"Yeah? That's interesting. Y'didn't seem to care 'bout manners when you kept stealin' looks while we were painting."

"So were you!"

Oh, no. She was supposed to _deny_ that, not confirm it; however roundabout of a confirmation that was. She could perfectly envision the massive shit-eating grin he undoubtedly wore now. He tapped the dock again. "C'mon luv, c'mon up already. I'm dressed. Let's hit the bar and get some beers, I say we earned it."

"Do you need toilet paper for your mouth? Your breath smells like bullshit." She smiled with pride when his rowdy laughter shook the very air, and she curled around, grabbing the edge of the docks. "Shh! You're gonna wake the whole city." Unfortunately, the part where his breath smelled of shit came true; he wasn't, in fact, dressed. Piper closed her eyes when he grabbed her hands and hauled her up whether she wanted to or not. At least the docks creaked and his footsteps padded farther away. She didn't open her eyes until she heard his zipper, and melted with relief when the cruel man _finally_ put his pants on. "Took you long enough."

"Gonna take my sweet time next time-" as if he hadn't, already. "-now that I know how much it bugs ya."

"Of course you will," she rolled her eyes. "I'm now convinced that you exist exclusively to taunt me." She twisted and wrung out the excess water from her shirt as best as she could, grimacing at the squishy sounds of her boots slapping the deck. She refused to let it show that it bothered her, knowing it'd only encourage his mischievous side, and held her head high as she sauntered to the picnic table to collect her things. He leaned against it, crossed arms, his cocky grin taking up her peripheral vision.

"Sounds like yer steppin' on a cute rubber ducky." Cute was in _his_ vocabulary? "Look who's the heartless one now? What did rubber duckies ever do to you?" His mirth rumbled deep in his chest, and she wasted no time as she punched his shoulder. She slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his roaring laughter, not that it helped much, and struggled not to smile. She was already infected by the contagion. Guess he wasn't so bad when he was being ridiculous rather than being greedy.

"Let's go Mr. Handyman, or no drinks for you if you keep this up." Piper grabbed her things and left him behind, flushing over a mutter she decided to ignore.

"One day I'll be the 'handy' man for the right reason, Ms. Wright."

* * *

**_Author's Note_**

_This particular chapter wasn't in the original story. I will be supplementing and changing things so the plot line may be differently than you remember, as one of my regrets for Gat was that I rushed things through and never got a chance to explore his backstory. The Cowboy SS may also change a bit as I had written a couple other characters that I enjoyed from another FO4 story, so we'll see! Thanks for reading and hope to see you in the next chapter. Cheers!  
_


	5. A Night to Remember

_**Chapter 5: A Night to Remember**_

* * *

Pounding greeted Piper bright in the morning; if it was even morning. She muffled her groan in her drool-slicked pillow and lazily rolled _just_ enough to massage her forehead. Her tongue felt as thick as cotton, parched as dry as the desert; she hated hangovers with a passion. Not like there was anyone crazy enough to like them, anyways. She pushed herself up on her elbows and buried her face in her hands, trying her best to ignore the throbbing behind her bloody eyeballs.

How much did she drink last night to even end up like this?

Massaging did nothing; she needed food but she was nauseous just thinking about it. And what was that god awful smell? Did she frolic in her own puke or what? Something suddenly kicked her leg and her head snapped over, eyes growing wide.

"_What the fuck?!_" Piper hissed under her breath, and looked down at herself. She was in bed with Gat, wearing Gat's stinky shirt.

That explained the putrid stench.

Gat was knocked out, half his face crushed the pillow with a wholly unflattering expression. Had it not been for the grave implications, she'd have wished to have a camera in her hands just so that she could take a picture and taunt him for how ugly he slept; not that she had any misgivings about being a sleeping beauty herself. He looked peaceful though. It seemed even the most dangerous things could appear deceivingly cute when sleeping.

Wait, wait, wait. Dire implications? Piper sleeping with this freak of nature of an unruly and rude beast? That took precedence. She needed to get out of here pronto, preferably before he woke up and teased her until she died.

_Tease. _There was more than one contextual use of that miserable word, now.

God, this just could not get any worse. Piper snuck out of the bed sheets, grateful she had the decency to dress herself up to spare _that_ level of mortification... But why the hell was it all in Gat's clothes?! Was she so hammered that she couldn't even tell what she was donning? She knew enough to need his belt, at least. She couldn't find any of hers in here; maybe he pranked her and stole her stuff. That seemed exactly like what he would do.

Well! Revenge was sweet. She would do the same to him; let him walk out of here arse-naked, modesty destroyed. Not that he didn't freaking have any to begin with.

"Oh my god, and I _slept_ with him," she muttered, shuddering in disgust. How depraved was she to have actually had sex with such a brutish thug? What happened to her moral code? Maybe he slipped chems in her drink; that would be something someone with no moral code would do. That _had_ to be what happened.

Fear struck her at that thought, and she studied their surroundings with as much concentration this wretched hangover even allowed her to do. She didn't see anything suspicious, but Gat could've hid it... But wouldn't it be stupid for him to stay the night with her? Maybe he wanted to mess with her head like he was now, making her believe they had consensual sex. She would _never._ Not with him.

Panic gripped her by the throat and she held her breath when he stirred, but only to roll on his other side, facing away from her. She would figure this out _after_ she got out of here, before he got any fucked up ideas himself, if he didn't remember what he did to her. She searched high and low for her treasured hat first, but it was nowhere to be found. A painful pang gripped her at that, hurting even worse than the terrifying _implications__;_ that was dad's favorite hat, and she lost it.

Piper did one more check around before she hightailed it out of the room, a furious blush burning her face the moment her gaze locked with Yefim, dutifully standing at his post. His stoic face made it hard to read anything from the guy, but he made sure to make things _worse_ for her, as things always did.

"Next time, keep it quiet. If my brother did not owe you, we would have kick you out. You ran off the other customers."

"I u-understand," she chuckled as she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, shooting Yefim her best puppy eyes. "Just, um... Could you keep it a secret?"

"With how loud you-"

"Shh!" She waved frantically, but she knew this was a lost cause. She stormed out, but not without checking in at the bar first; and made a beeline straight out the inn with the wicked lopsided grin Vadim made the _second_ his eyes connected with hers. "Shit, shit, shit!" She lost her clothes. She slept with Gat. And the whole fucking city knew.

Life just _couldn't_ get worse than this.

Sunlight burned her eyes and not even shielding them with her hand helped. Of course it could, in fact, get much worse, because why not? Stupid hangover. Piper made a break for it and _sprinted_ home, the fierce headache exasperated by her worst nightmare and grueling uncalled for exercise.

Instinct propelled her, no matter the ominous feeling brewing in her stomach. She needed to find Nat, and then she needed to find_ out_ how much Nat knew about last night. If the teenager even eluded the slightest bit that she had an idea of what her depraved older sister was doing, 'frolicking' in bed with a thug, Piper would run away with her debt after all. Surely there had to be _some_ sort of small and safe settlement they could go to, right?

Piper went up to her door, reaching for the knob. It opened, and she was met with a bleary-eyed little munchkin. Nat rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and smiled lazily. "Mornin', I'm going to scho..." Her nose suddenly wrinkled in disgust, looking more awake as she leaned back and waved her hand in front of her. "Whoa, you _stink._ Did you crawl through brahmin shit or what?"

"Language," Piper blurted, but nodded a little too enthusiastically. "Yeah, I was getting away, and... Stuff. Washed in the lake to get the crap off; guess there's no saving these clothes."

"No way, just burn 'em. Gonna make the whole house reek if y'go in there. Anyways, cya later, Piper!" Nat bounced off the step and she didn't seem to give any sort of hints that she _knew_ more than she let on. It helped calm Piper's racing heart just a little... And gave her a sadistic idea.

She _could_ burn Gat's clothes, now couldn't she?

Karma was finally going to pay that asshole a visit.

**x - x - x**

"Fuck, what the fuck, mother fucking fuck..." Gat grumbled in the back of his throat, pinching his temples together to try and ease the hammering inside his bloody skull. He rolled over and overshot just how big the bed actually was, and slammed down on the ground. He saw stars in his eyes when his head hit the floor, and he groaned as he cradled it protectively. "_Fuck my life..._"

It seemed fuck was going to be the word of the day.

"There's a few brain cells gone," he sighed, sluggish as he pushed himself up to rest on his knees. He took a look around the room, then at himself, shrugging off that he was only in his underwear; not an unusual occurrence, because what kind of masochistic weirdo would bundle themselves up and sleep in clothes in _this_ humid heat? It was like trying to breathe through a bloody straw.

Gat got up and stumbled a little, dizzy and unsteady with every step. He dumped himself in a chair and hunched over to massage his forehead, not that it even did anything, and wiped down his face to rub off all the crusted drool. Fuzzy memories trickled in, and he smiled at the last he could think of that no doubt brought him to this room: a drinking contest with his _very_ competitive boss. At least she wasn't like all his previous commanders, all bark and no play. And boy, rarely did he boast having a hard time to keep up with someone.

"All goodie two-shoes and smiles, hidin' a party girl underneath. Ain't foolin' me anymore." He had to stoke that flame again, to get her riled up for another contest. He wouldn't be surprised if he passed out because she slipped something in his drink to make sure she'd win, and tease him for the rest of his life for it.

Taunting her was quickly becoming one of his favorite hobbies; and it was the motivation he needed to get off his ass and look for her. She couldn't be far away with how much they drank, especially if she was just as hungover as him. She _had_ to be. He remembered elbowing an empty moonshine bottle, and they still had shots after that.

Gat searched the room for his clothes, frowning as something in the deepest recesses of his mind tried to supply critical information as to where in the hell his belongings would even be. He searched high and low, even checked under the pillows before he checked under the bed, but nothing could be found. Well, no skin off his teeth; it wouldn't be the first time he strut about in his knickers. Hopefully this city didn't have some sort of law that threw him in jail for it, though.

His family couldn't afford to lose any more caps because of his stupidity. He needed to send a shipment _yesterday._

Time was running out and he was still wasting it. He forced himself off the chair and head for the door, sucking in a deep breath to steel himself for whatever shenanigans the day had in store for him. He casually saluted the guy that... Who knew what he did. In charge of the inn, maybe, if he was still sitting beside the door. The man's gaze panned to Gat's knickers and sighed as he went back to reading his newspaper. The bartender was already grinning at him; good, someone that seemed to have information.

"Quite a party last night!" The bartender's uproarious laughter made the headache a little sharper, and Gat bounced his palm downwards in a silent plea to keep it down. "Ah, sorry, my friend! What can I get you now, some water?"

"Yeah. And clothes. Don't s'pose y'know what the fuck happened last night?" Gat saddled up on the stool, ignoring the other patrons' sneers. He waved them off dismissively and gave each one a glare. "Got a starin' problem, folks? Get it out yer system already, not like this is news. Everybody wears knickers."

"Not in public," the bartender quipped, sliding a glass of water over to him. He crossed his arms and leaned on the counter, a shit-eating grin all over his face. "You drink with reporter, party _hard._ Lots people left bar because party _too_ hard."

"Heh, yeah I could see that. Learned real fast that she ain't the type who likes to lose." Gat threw his head back and chugged the water like no tomorrow, hoping to appease his headache at least a _little._ The glass hit the bar and he patted himself for caps, only to remember he was in his underwear. "Uh, don't s'pose y'know where she went, mate? I'm guessin' she took my shite, gonna hafta wait 'til I pay ya back."

"It is on house, my friend, you bring lots of caps last night."

Fucking hell... They better have not blown all of yesterday's earnings on this bar.

"And Piper was _wearing_ your 'shite'," the bartender laughed as he quoted with his fingers, greatly amused by the accent, it seemed. "She left about half hour ago, maybe."

"Left? She stayed here?" Didn't she say she had a place of her own? It wasn't like this city was massive, unless she was that drunk too.

"Yes, of course! You two rented a room from my brother when he tried to kick you out to stop scaring customers away." The bartender slapped the bar with another round of laughter, antagonizing Gat's headache even more. "She had to drag you off the stool and you puked all over her, hah!"

Oh.

Well.

_Fuck._

"She is never going to let me live that down," Gat sighed as he combed his hair back, sliding off the stool with a tap on the bar. "Thanks for the info and the water, mate. Cya later for another party; cheers." He braced himself for more laughter, but thankfully the bartender tamed it. He was quite a cheerful fellow; maybe this city wasn't as bad as he thought it'd be. It was a change of pace from the life he was used to, but it wasn't the kind of pace he could settle down with. He was already getting antsy, waiting for some kind of action. When the hell would his boss accept the bounty jobs? They paid the most, and killing shite was his specialty. It would be easier and faster pay instead of doing menial and grueling jobs for an entire day.

Well, first he had to find her and get his bloody clothes back. He went outside and groaned at the blaring sun, _borrowing_ a pair of sunglasses off the table as he headed for her office. He couldn't think of anywhere else she'd be, asides _maybe_ the purification center to wash her clothes. He ignored everybody's staring as he confidently strode, unashamed.

He still didn't understand why the boss was. She seriously wasn't a virgin, was she? But he did steal her first kiss...

Guilt and _anger _still needled him at that. He wasn't supposed to be that kind of man, and he was. It was hard to find a time to stop her and apologize for it, especially when he knew it would just get her pissed off at him again; and things were starting to be good between them. He liked working with her, and there was a tiny part of him that selfishly wanted the jobs to pay less so that he could stay a little longer; but he couldn't afford to stall anymore, especially if yesterday's pay went down the drain. If she screwed around any longer, he would take the bounty jobs for himself and send a shipment of whatever he could scrounge together.

Something was better than nothing.

Gat peeked around the property of 'Publick Occurrences' and wondered where he was supposed to enter. He went in through the trailer, smirking at the dusty press machine that had a few screws loose. He knocked on the door and waited as patiently as he could, _borrowing_ a nearby cloth to wipe the sweat that collected on his forehead, then tossed the cloth on the press machine just so that Piper _knew_ he messed with her things.

"One minute, be right there!" A muffled voice shouted inside; her voice. Gat glanced down at himself with a wicked grin, and decided to stand at attention like a soldier, clasping his wrists behind him as he mustered the most serious look he could pull off.

No way would he get through this without laughing his ass off at her reaction.

As soon as the door opened a sliver, and her gaze traveled up bare legs to his knickers, she immediately closed it shut. "No! Go away!"

"Aw, c'mon, luv! Don't be like that, that hurts my feelings. I'm even standing all prim and proper for ya! Manners, and shite."

"Fuck you! Go away!"

Gat laughed, and pounded on the door again with his fist. "Let me in, or at least give my clothes back. It's your fault I'm like this."

"No it's not. Give my clothes back first!"

"What? I don't have them. The bartender said I puked on you when y'dragged my drunk arse to a room, and you took my clothes to wear. I dunno where yours are."

The door opened just a touch, and Piper glared at him with clear suspicion. "Well they're not here, where else could they be?"

"Askin' the wrong guy, luv, I remember bugger all from last night." He snuck his arm between the sliver of space before she shut the door on him again. "Look, just gimme my shite back and I'll help you look for yours. Y'got spare clothes, don't ya? I don't. At least gimme my trousers and boots." She stared at him for ages, then opened the door with a sigh and left him.

"Lock the door when you come in."

"People would hafta be dumb as bricks if they broke into a 'reporter's' home," he muttered as he entered, but complied and would continue to with any request she made... For now. He'd play nice until he got his things back, then he'd go back to ruffling every feather imaginable. He watched her head up stairs and he studied her home, opening cabinets out of curiosity for what was inside. He smiled at the sight of a dusty toolbox.

"What are you doing down there?" She shouted from the floor above, and he smirked as looked up, watching her shadow cast upon the wall. She was changing.

"Being nosy and going through every drawer," he replied honestly, testing her limits. He chuckled when she muttered something under her breath, and he could have sworn he heard _'of course you are',_ because... Well. Of course he was.

"Just don't _borrow_ anything like you did with those sunglasses; I hope you plan on returning them."

"Nope." Short and sweet, just what she hated most. "Not any time soon, anyways."

"Of course not," she sighed exasperatedly. His gaze was riveted to the shadow as soon as he saw his shirt being pulled overhead, but she turned, and the outline did little to feed the imagination. Last night's wash at the bathing area supplemented enough, with how her clothes hung to her frame. He wagered she was aggravatingly humble enough to not even realize the effect of her appearance.

Clothes were flung down the stairs as she still changed, and he sniggered when he went to collect them. Even he wrinkled his nose when he picked up his shirt. "Holy fuck, my shirt really _does_ smell like shite. Yer gonna hafta wash again just for wearing it; surprised y'didn't just burn it."

"You stopped me before I lit the match," she lilted teasingly, and he rolled his eyes as he wrestled his pants on. His curiosity peeked through a sliver of space that seemed to be hidden away under the stairs, and he stopped when he swore he caught glimpse of some sort of toy. The stairs creaked and his gaze shot up to her, smiling inconspicuously as he hid his observation to himself; there was a kid living here, or his boss collected some very weird shite.

The latter was just as likely as the former.

Gat played it off and head to the couch to lace his combat boots up, trying to steal more glances at the hidden room whenever she looked away. She seemed stiffer than usual; was she nervous that he was here, looking around? Well, to be honest, he would be too in her shoes. He was more than aware that he wasn't exactly a rolemodel or good company to bring home.

Smoke laced the air and he looked up to see her light a cigarette, and a craving gnawed at him. "Don't s'pose y'got any spares, Boss?"

"Sure, help yourself."

That... Was _way_ too easy. Why was she like this?

"I know you'll _borrow_ it anyways even if I say no," she muffled around her cigarette as she held it out to him, a lopsided smirk on her face. That mischievous glint in her eyes was daring and raring. Gat snatched the pack before she changed her mind and stuck his tongue out at her as he mocked a sarcastic laugh.

For some reason, she shied away from his eyes every time they met. There was a notable blush dusting her cheeks, but her gaze didn't rove over him like it did yesterday. He struck a match and struck the nail right on it's head. "The hell you actin' weird for, luv? Weirder than usual, anyways. Thought you'd be gloatin' for drinking me under the table."

"I-I'm not weird. You're weird!"

That was the best she could do? He expected more bite for being called weird.

Gat cocked his head and arched his brow, hoping his face screamed that he wasn't going to fall for her brand of bullshit. He extinguished the match's flame after he lit his cigarette, kicked his leg over his knee and relaxed back, resting his arms on the spine of the couch. He smirked when he caught her gaze _almost_ travel lower than his chest before she fixated it up on his eyes, and turned away with another nervous laugh. "You um... You don't remember what happened last night, do you?"

"Nope. Should I?" He took _great_ pleasure in how jittery she was now, and he had an inkling why. "Did somethin' _exciting_ happen? Drove off customers, maybe?"

Piper shot him a look, narrowing her eyes. But why was it out of anger rather than suspicion? "You do remember, don't you? What did you do to me? Did you spike my drink?"

"What did _I_ do to _you, _spike your... What? Where did this come from? I already told you what I know, and that was whatever the bartender told me. Don't remember nothin' past our drinking contest, honest. I didn't do nothin' to ya." He had the puzzle piece he needed, and he didn't appreciate what she was accusing him of. He snapped up into standing and took his shirt, snuffing his cigarette in an ash tray before he finished it; no point, if there wasn't any enjoyment in it. "And I ain't liking what yer tryin' to say, Boss. I wouldn't and won't ever put my hands on a woman like that."

"Are you sure? You kissed me before without thinking, and that was when you were sober."

"I'm not a fuckin' raider, Boss, and... Alright, how about this?" Gat closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steel his composure and stay cool; it wasn't often someone could actually annoy him and pluck a nerve. He slung his shirt over his shoulder and headed for the door. "Think real hard 'bout this: is your minge sore? 'Cause trust me, luv." He shot a sinful smirk behind him, knowing what this was going to do to her pretty little face. "You'd be feelin' every bit of your ladybits if we got chummy that way, and it'd be a night to _remember._"

He knew he wouldn't ever forget how many shades of red her cheeks invented.

Curiosity spotted something glinting inside her trash can, and he stole a peek before he left, hoping it was some discarded caps. It wasn't. He turned pale, swallowing nervously. His vulgar taunt lost it's bite, the momentum gone, and he looked at her with wide eyes. "What the fuck is that, Boss? Are my eyes playin' tricks on me?"

His boss, in fact, collected _very_ weird shite after all.

"W-what?" She was still blushing hot, at least, and was blatantly hesitant to come close to him, to see what it was he saw and panicked over. "Oh, don't worry. It's just a-"

That was _way_ too casual. She laughed when he rushed to escape. "Fuck that, you're crazy! Who the fuck has a machete in their trash can? You ain't ever comin' near my bits!"

Piper choked.


	6. Wasteland Life

_**Chapter 6: Wasteland Life**_

* * *

Gat nonchalantly filched Piper's packet of smokes when she strode by him, holding her hands above her brow as she searched the bathing area for her clothes. He lit two cigarettes, one in each corner of the mouth, and took one out to offer it to her before she saw he got his _cooties_ all over it, or whatever other bollocks she'd say so as not to take it from the likes of him. As unfair as she was in her judgment of him, she was making it impossible to stay professional around her.

This was supposed to be a job, and now he was thinking about her lips more than her caps.

"Where could it be?" Piper whined, hands and shoulders falling in defeat. He came up beside her and offered the cigarette, watching her from the corner of his eye.

"It's just clothes, and you're wearin' some right now." Against his will. "What's the big deal, Boss?"

"It's not _just clothes._" She chewed her lip, and started to take the long way around the purifier. He grabbed her wrist and stuck both smokes in her mouth with a sigh, heading into the small lake before she could protest. He dove underneath and stole looks sparingly, shutting his eyes whenever they burned. He'd definitely need to dose himself with rad away after this.

Gat swam over to the docks and noticed something peculiar, which reminded him of something equally _vital._ His duffel bag; his guns. Why the hell did he dump them _here?_ There was a few days work of maintenance just to clean them and make sure they weren't permanently damaged. He cussed in his head as he took his duffel bag and resurfaced for air, pulling himself up on the dock high enough for him to sling his bag overhead.

"Oi, my things are here too!" He shouted, and he saw her jogging down the docks towards him. "So yours hafta be here somewhere, gonna dive under again."

"Wait! I just remembered something."

Why the hell did she have a guilty look?

Gat hoisted himself up and leaned against the edge, his legs dangling in the water. He arched his brow when she knelt by his bag and started to unzip it. "Oi, oi, oi, Boss. I don't like it when people _breathe_ on my babies, much less touch 'em. Hands off."

"Uh... Too late for the warning, then." Piper opened the bag, and pulled out a drenched jacket; a _red_ jacket. She laughed nervously when his face fell flat.

"Why the fuck are your clothes in my bag? Are my guns still in there?"

"Yeah! Yeah, of course, I mean, I just stuffed my stuff in here. I swear I didn't touch yours." She pulled out her hat, sullenly plucking the piece of paper that once said _press_ on it. "Man... I'm always replacing this. Need to figure something out."

"Still haven't heard why your clothes are in my bag." Gat grumbled as he drew up and protectively snatched his bag, searching inside the hidden pocket for the rad away. He clenched his fist and looked away as he lined the needle up with his elbow, but before he could _hail mary_ it into him, Piper grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"You don't even see where you're going with it! What are you doing?" She took the needle away from him, _thank fucking god,_ and palpated his wet bicep. Her thumbs tenderly poked his elbow, and he averted his gaze offside when her eyes searched for his. "Are you... Is this what I think it is?"

"Of course not. Who knows what the hell yer thinkin', y'barmy bird." Gat's tease lost it's bite when she leaned to the side and swayed in his vision, a mischievous smirk plastered all over her face. He huffed and turned his head away. "Go on. Get it out your system before y'end up dyin' from holdin' it in."

"You're afraid of needles," she lilted, and though it annoyed him slightly, all he could think about was her hand massaging his arm. If only the fucking water wasn't in the way. If only she wasn't so shy either, so that he could claim her lips and make up for the last kiss.

Professionalism.

Caps.

Survival.

That _ought_ to have been the priority, but when he made the mistake of looking at her, of watching how her bright hazel-green eyes danced... And when that gaze danced with the needle that neared his arm, he tore away. "Would rather be pukin' my guts out and let my system fight it off naturally. Fuck that."

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad, and I'm pretty sure radiation doesn't just go away on it's own. I promise I'll be gentle, okay? I can't be any worse than you blindly poking the crap out of your arm and bleed to death."

"How often do you do this? How much experience do you have? Are you actually qualified to-" Gat hissed when he felt the slightest poke, and it barely even hurt, but it grossed him out when he could feel the needle _wiggle_ and _worm_ into him. He closed his eyes as tightly as possible and tried to ignore the way anxiety snaked around his lungs, crushing him from the inside out. He flinched back in surprise and opened his eyes when she slicked his hair back, wearing concern in every delicate feature as if it were her resting face.

"Take a deep breath with me, Gat. In through the nose."

He found himself listening, absentmindedly copying her.

"And out."

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her lips; but he _knew_ that if he made a move right now, he was at her mercy with one of the most dangerous weapons to have ever been invented. She continued to encourage him to breathe, holding the rad away bag up in the air to let gravity drain it into his system. How long had they sat like that? His back burned, dried from the sun, and he was pretty sure it wasn't the cause for why her cheeks slowly flushed.

"Q-quit staring at me like that," she mumbled, soldering her gaze to the rad away bag. "It's weird."

"It's not weird," he heard himself say, "it's perfectly normal. I can't be the only one who gives you these kinds of looks."

"Well... You are." A tiny smile. "Because you're weird."

"Heh." He reached with his free hand and ruffled her hair just to mess with her, as he always did. "Takes one to know one, Boss." He looked over at the hat that rested by her knee, jerking his chin towards it. "So what's the story behind the 'it's not just clothes', luv? They a gift from someone special? An ex, boyfriend, husband?"

"W-what? No, definitely not any of them. What makes you think that?"

"Nothin', just wanted to make sure that you're not off limits," he shrugged, smirking when her blush expanded to her nose. She never bit the bait though, dodging what he actually wanted the answer to. She liked him, or at least, she was attracted to him. She was, right? It was hard to tell; he caught the looks she made at him too, but she never followed through with anything.

Would it kill him if he stole one more kiss to find out? Probably.

Gat leaned back and removed the needle with a shudder. He rose with his duffel bag and slung it across his chest, wringing out excess water from his shirt. "If y'don't mind, I needa borrow your toolbox for a bit to take my guns apart and clean 'em, make sure the water isn't gonna gum 'em up none."

"Borrow?" Piper quipped quietly, rising with a small shy smile. The way she nibbled on the corner of her lip or tucked her hair behind her ear, a clear sign as any that she was nervous about something, was starting to drive him crazy; just like everything else she was doing to him. "The jobs I've got lined up today don't have anything to do with shooting, that is... If you want to come with me?"

She made it impossible to say no.

Gat sighed and combed his fingers through his damp hair. "Alright, luv. Just lemme stash my guns in your place, this time."

She beamed brightly, a happy bounce in her steps as she took the lead back home. His gaze meandered to her rump, and he searched his duffle bag for his soaked army cap, pulling the brim over his eyes so that he'd stop hoping to have something he _knew_ he would never keep for long. She was too much of a goodie two-shoes.

And he tainted everything he touched.

**x - x - x**

"Pickin' mutfruit? Are you fuckin' serious? Do I look like a farmer?"

Piper replaced his army hat with a straw hat. "You do now," she lilted, sniggering when he ripped it off and threw it aside.

"Y'can't be serious, Boss. I'm a mercenary. I _shoot things_ for caps; it's a very simple life. This is way too complicated for me."

"That excuse isn't going to fly and you know it." She snagged a mutfruit off a tree and chucked it to him to catch. "Remind me how we're going to get my caps?"

"The honest way," he groaned, staring at the mutfruit in his hand. He squeezed it as hard as he could to crush it, and sticky juices slicked through his fingers. It gave him another horrid idea, and he popped a mutfruit off a tree, sneaking around the one Piper was at. He dug his thumbs into the fruit to split it in half, then came up and yanked on her shirt to dump it down her back. Her shriek _thrilled_ him, and he ran away cackling like a maniac.

"Real fucking mature, Gat!"

"Y'shoulda _known_ I'd do this, luv." He was as gleeful as a child, and he heard her rush through the rows of trees as branches whipped about. He knelt low before his height gave him away, watching dust and dirt kick up from her pounding feet as she searched the farm for him. No doubt she was armed to the teeth with mutfruit.

They were _so_ going to lose caps for this. He already knew they would anyways, with the dirty looks the old lady was giving Piper.

Piper breezed right past him, and he slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter - and failed. That was fine, he didn't care about how he was going to look with sticky juice all over. She stopped and her feet pivoted, charging straight towards him with a rally cry. He tackled her down, his best and worst idea ever yet, and cradled her head before she knocked it off the ground. He felt the mutfruits crash and pop against his back, the juices soaking through his shirt, and they both laughed in between heavy gulps of air.

It wasn't until Gat slithered up her body that they stopped, and tingles buzzed in the pits of his belly when he was _painfully_ aware of where his pelvis was pressed. She stared at him with wide eyes, her plump lips parted, and never before had it been so excruciatingly hard to tear himself away from something.

He couldn't afford this. He was losing caps every minute he wasted fooling around with the woman who was supposed to pay him; especially when he was beginning to entertain the notion that she no longer had to pay him, that it was all on the house, so long as he got to kiss her. He twisted away from her and sat up, raking a dejected hand through his hair.

"This is the hardest job I've ever had, Boss," he mumbled. He smiled a wee bit when she playfully pinched his hip.

"Well, I'm positive you're capable of picking mutfruits. You just have to stop throwing them at me."

Gat looked over at her to see if she was just playing stupid, or if she genuinely didn't understand what he meant. It was hard to read her right now, not when all he was thinking about was with his _other_ head. He rose and offered his hand to help her up, screaming within his mind every time she was just inches away from him. And, just like the time they painted the Wall, he forced distance between them and walked a few rows down.

"C'mon, let's try and finish this by tonight and go to the Dugout for _one_ beer."

"You want to pick this whole farm clean today? In _this_ heat?"

Gat laughed, and he had to see the proud smirk all over her face. He decided to wipe it off and pulled his shirt off, sticking his tongue out at her when she blushed beet red.

"Less staring, more working."

Piper threw a mutfruit at him.

**x - x - x**

Tension mounted between them. Piper was no fool. She rolled her eyes or threw a mutfruit every time the sinister gunner caught her looking over at him, his cheeky grin screaming his smartass thoughts. God, did she ever hate him. So why the hell was she still feeling this way around him? He wasn't her type, and she sure as hell wasn't his type. They were complete opposites. He just liked a challenge, like her, and she knew that she was just another conquest for a guy like him.

Every time he was close, he flustered her. She hated it. Hated how she stopped thinking, and turned into some sort of starry-eyed teenager who's experiencing their first love. She wasn't. She was a grown ass independent woman with standards and expectations and a legitimate career and gosh darn it all, she was _not_ hooking up with a heartless mercenary who freaking _kidnapped_ her!

"No way am I ever gonna forget that," she mumbled, and looked down at her chest. She narrowed her eyes when his voice rang clear in her memory.

_"Bloatfly tits."_

"Asshole!" Piper shouted, and she saw Gat's head whip up above the treeline.

"What the fuck, Boss? I didn't do nothin'!"

They stared at each other, and then Piper burst out laughing. She didn't expect him to actually _respond_ to her. She stopped when he walked over with a sullen scowl, and she beamed a grin, her mirth bubbling in her voice in poorly contained chuckles. "I didn't think Asshole was _actually_ your middle name, Gat."

"Very funny, you'd make a killin' as a comedian." He crossed his arms, arching his brow in explicit displeasure when she continued to laugh all by her lonesome self. The other farmers gave them strange looks, but strange looks weren't exactly an oddity to her; she was accustomed to worse. She expected it when he crushed a mutfruit above her head, and closed one eye when the juices plopped down on her hair and trailed over her eye. She hadn't cared anymore, with how filthy they were.

And she knew _not_ reacting was what flustered Gat.

"Anyways, my side of the farm is done. You just about finished, Boss? I can go grab us those beers."

"You don't want to stay at the Dugout?"

"Nah, else we're gonna have another morning like today, and I'm knackered from it all. Skimped out on work-" of _course _he did. "-and scouted out a nice place for us to drink too." He twisted and pointed at the far end, at the stands. "See that rusted truck on the side there? Reckon it'll be a good view to watch the sunset."

Piper gave him a blank look. "The sunset?"

"Yeah?"

This staring thing they did? It needed to stop. They never got anywhere with it.

"Y'know," he smirked mischievously, "that weird thing the sun does when it's the end of the day. It-"

"I know what a sunset is!" She shoved him, and scoffed as she turned sharply to finish up her work. She couldn't stop the smile tugging the corners of her mouth. "I just didn't think you'd be the type to enjoy them."

"Lotsa things y'dunno 'bout me yet, luv. Won't know if ya never ask. Anyways, I'll be back."

Something fell on Piper, and she scrambled to take it off. She huffed when it was his stupid shirt and tucked the corner of it in her pants. There wasn't a moment they took a rest from getting under the other's skin, no matter how tired they were. It kept the mood light at least. She wondered just how many caps they'd worked up so far; and still wondered why he was helping her do things he obviously wasn't thrilled doing. Maybe tomorrow she'd make it up to him and take a bounty job, as he complained of initially; but _only_ if he was going to be nice to her.

Piper picked the rest of her row and hoisted the basket on her hip, carrying the last fruits of her labor to the station for the farmers to wash tomorrow. She let out a sigh of relief and wiped her raw aching hands off her slacks as she head to the supervisor of the entire operation to collect her pay, trying to ignore the grumbling inside that Gat _still_ finished before her even when he slacked off.

At least something good was about to come out of it, not that she would ever tell him and encourage him.

"Decent work," the old farmer smiled, wrinkles pulling tight. She lumbered over to the baskets and ran her weathered fingers over the fruit, humming to herself. "200 caps."

Piper froze. "What?" She _must_ have misheard. "We agreed on 500!"

"Don't think I didn't see that fight between you and that lazy boy." _Lazy?_ Blind bat. "That was a lot of mutfruit wasted, and you probably damaged the trees, and-"

"_Probably?_" The old lady was shortchanging Piper and she _knew_ it, and she knew Gat wouldn't be happy about this at all. "Look, just pay me the agreed amount or we're going to have trouble on our hands."

"You threatenin' me, girl?" The old lady may have looked frail, but she certainly didn't act that way. "I'll have you thrown in the cells if you touch one more fruit and show 'em my damaged property." There was no freaking damaged property. Yeah, they wasted a few mutfruits, but the amount they picked in _one day_ should have been more than enough compensation.

"You're not going to get trouble from me, but that guy I worked with is going to raise hell and-"

"Then I'll have him thrown in the cells. Take it or leave it, girl. Last chance. Do you want the caps or not?"

Piper's lips thinned. She took the cap sack with a sigh. "Fine." Well, now she knew why she always saw new faces every time she passed by this farm. She turned away and marched off with her head held high despite her muscles' protests, grumbling under her breath. "Old hag."

"I heard that, little nosy bitch! Stick to writing lies, this ain't no life for the likes of you!"

What happened to nice old people? They were in the settlement she grew up in. Now Ms. Hawthorne was the only well-mannered grandma in a city of over a thousand people.

Piper took off her hat and combed her sweat-matted hair back; she felt even more gross than yesterday, and she didn't think that was possible. She unbuttoned her blouse, pinching to fan it off her chest, and took a moment to tug Gat's shirt out of her pants to soak it at the water pump. As soon as the rusted truck came into view, she jogged towards it and jumped on the hood. She smiled and waved with her whole arm when she spotted Gat carrying the two promised beers in hand, wiping his head and neck. A tired smile tugged his lips when he saw his wet shirt dripping on the hood.

"Best idea you've had yet! Thanks, Boss." He looped it around his neck and leaned against the truck, using the edge of it's hood to pop their beer caps off before he offered one to her, clicking the bottlenecks together. "Cheers to the end of that nightmare. Now can we _please_ go shoot shite tomorrow?"

"There is something sincerely wrong with that question," she chuckled, and took a swig out of her beer. She saw the hopeful look all over his face and rolled her eyes. "Yes, we'll go 'shoot shite' tomorrow. That old hag shortchanged us."

"Y'didn't think she would? She gave ya the stink eye when y'were workin' out a deal with her."

"She did? Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"Y'told me to stop tryin' to take charge," Gat shrugged, "and that we're gonna do this your way." He held up a hand, and somehow his two fingers managed to trump the sarcasm plastered all over his stupid face by quoting in the air. "The 'honest way'," he grinned smugly. "Was just a matter of time 'til ya learned it's the shite way. Now we get to do this the smart way, a la: _my _way."

"Oh, get over yourself," she hunched forward and gave him a playful shove. She bit her lip when his gravelly laughter did _things_ to her inside, and hastily averted her gaze to the blaze in the sky as the sun began to set. She timidly shimmied over on the hood and tapped the empty spot beside her. "Are you gonna come up here or what?"

"Ain't y'just gonna push me right off?"

"What? No. Why?"

"You'll actually _behave?_"

"I should be asking you that, ass." Piper nibbled on the flesh of her cheek as she tried, and failed, to stop herself from smiling. The truck creaked and groaned when he jumped up and landed hard on his ass, the two exchanging nervous looks every time they made the slightest movement. "Uh, do we actually trust this thing not to break?"

"Are you calling yourself fat, luv? Even I wouldn't be that brutally honest and mean to ya."

"Cut it out!" Piper laughed, and she punched him in the ribs, trying to sneak a couple more shots in before he warded her hands away. His lopsided smirk needed to be smacked off. Freaking jerk. "It's like you'd _die_ if you went without a minute teasing me." She scooted down a little bit so she could lay down on the hood, idly playing with the beer as she watched the sunset. She bit back a spike of anxiety when he laid down beside her, shoulders brushing, and she shimmied away from him when it got to be too much.

Gat sighed. "Do you really hate me that much, Boss? I'm just a man trying to make ends meet."

"I don't hate _you,_ just... What you prefer to do. There are other ways to make ends meet."

"We blew yesterday's paint earnings at the Dugout, luv. That couldn't have been more than 100 caps. And now we got another piece of scrap from some stingy old woman. What's that going to afford the two of us?"

"Do you need a life of luxury? I don't make a whole ton of money from my business and I'm still happy. The things I do and the people I meet along the way are what counts the most."

"It ain't about a life of luxury." Then why was he so focused on caps? "It's about having a life, _period._ If we can't make ends meet like this with the two of us, imagine feeding a family?"

Piper glanced over at him, but his gaze was tethered up at the sky. "I'm having a hard time imagining you with a family, Gat."

He chuckled, and shook his head. "Nah, don't think I'll ever have that kind of life. Dunno... Don't think it's _me, _bettin' you agree." She did, but she politely kept it to herself.

Silence fell, and her head lazily lulled back to meet the fiery blaze warring with the clouds. "So what kind of life do you want?"

Nothing. She frowned, but didn't press. She imagined the mercenary didn't think beyond anything except the next paycheck, and perhaps was already aware that the only kind of life he had available was the kind that would end in a blaze of glory; if he was even allowed to have that much, rather than a quiet knife gliding across the throat, disposing his body in some ditch or being left out in this searing sun for animals to pick away at.

"I s'pose I want the kind of life..." He stretched his hand to the sky. "That teaches me why the bloody hell I'm even alive."

Piper hummed, absorbing, processing, thinking of what to say. She hunched up enough to sip from her beer, then laid back down. "I don't think the gunners will teach you that."

"Yeah, I know. I'm learning that now." Something about his tone was different; like it _actually_ carried serious emotion, however buried deep within. She looked over at him, unhinged by the way he stared intensely at her, a small and surprisingly genuine smile on his face, no trace of mockery. He pushed up on his elbow and hovered over her side. "What kind of life do you want, Boss? What kind of man would you have by your side? The goodie two-shoes?"

Suddenly, he withdrew a knife from behind his hip. Her eyes went wide, her heart leaped to her throat. She yelped when he stabbed down beside her, and an unholy shriek tore through the air. Her head whipped to the source, one of the farmers that worked beside her row. The man howled in agony and grabbed his hand, pinned to the truck by the knife, caps spilling out of the sack clutched in now-bloodied fingers.

"Or the man willing to do whatever the fuck it takes to protect what's _his?_" Gat slid off the truck and jerked the knife out as he kicked the man under the jaw, sending him to the ground. Gat straddled the thief and pummeled away at his face, and Piper panicked, trying to stop the gunner by wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling back with all her might.

"Stop! Don't kill him!"

"He tried to steal our caps, and you want to show this bloke _mercy?_ Fuck no! Ain't nobody ever show me or you mercy. So why should I?"

"He's just trying to survive!"

Gat dove under her arm and twisted her, pushing her to the truck. "You're always making excuses for everyone but _me._ What the fuck d'ya think I'm tryin' to do, huh? You never ask, you just assume why I do what I do and I've had enough of this bollocks. He's going to learn the same fucking lesson _I_ had to, if I wanted to survive in the wasteland, if I wanted to have any 'kind of life' at all." Gat unholstered one of his revolvers and loaded a couple rounds before he aimed it at the thief, who whimpered as he tried to crawl away, cradling his hand.

Piper's scream was blotted out by the gun shot.


	7. Someone to Care For

_**Chapter 7: Someone to Care For**_

* * *

Gat thought he had seen it all. All the gore, the rape, the greed, the stupidity. He was _so sure_ he had seen the worst of mankind and the pathetic facade of the 'best' mankind tried to display; and he was so, _so_ wrong. It was a good thing he hadn't meant to shoot the thief in the first place, that he had been so _kind_ to have wasted a precious and expensive bullet just to scare the man into never doing the same stupid things Gat did, no matter how desperate.

Piper shielded the thief with her body, hugging him close to her as she hid her face in his neck.

Smoke whisked away and the evening sun burned hotter than ever before, or was that whatever was burning inside Gat? He could relate to the smoking barrel of his gun, the heat licking his fingers. He took out the last round and pocketed it as he holstered his revolver, staring at the sniveling people with forced apathy. He couldn't feel. Feeling was dangerous in his line of work.

"What are you doing, Boss." A rhetorical question that already had an answer: she was doing stupidity justice, defining the word as she proved there truly were no limits. "Get away from him and let him get that hand looked at. He's learned his lesson."

Fury was given a new meaning when she sprung into action and marched to him, tears in her eyes, and he turned his head for the coming slap. Whatever feeling he had buried deep inside was drained the moment her palm connected with his cheek, and he sighed. "I should've known-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" She beat her fists against him, smearing the thief's blood on his chest.

Why hadn't he ever had someone as daft as her fight for him?

Gat glared at the thief that weaseled away to the old stingy bitch who watched from the other side of the farm; a knife to the hand better remind them not to get too greedy next time. He looked at his own hand, at the bumpy scar in the middle of his palm; it ached whenever it rained and still gave him trouble holding a rifle, even if it was so long ago.

Another fist collided on his collarbone and he scooped up her wrists, ensnaring her against him in a hug until she calmed down from her thrashing and blew through what energy she had left. When her body slumped against him, willing or not, he rested his chin on her head.

"I'm not sorry, Boss."

"Of course you're not," she muttered bitterly. A weak fist came off his shoulder and beat down, and he had a hard time finding it in him to care that she was furious with him; not when this felt _good._ When was the last time he hugged someone? Years, for sure. It was almost laughable how trivial it was, and he didn't want to let go, dreading the moment he would have to. At least she didn't push away. It was worth standing the onslaught of her simmering anger, reminding him why he was being drawn to her, roped in ever so slowly.

Passion. When the hell was the last time he ever met someone who had passion for anything except violence and money? Never. Passion died out even in children, forced to grow up and mature before they got the chance to learn what it was even like to be a child.

Piper hid her face in his chest, and he frowned when he could still feel her tears smear with his sweat. He tried to angle his chin down as subtly as possible, and her messy hair tickled the tip of his nose; but he didn't dare push his luck and steal another kiss, even if it was her head. "This can't be comfy for you, luv." Why was self-sabotage his specialty? "Ain't you drowning down there? Dyin' of my shite stink?"

"Shut up," she grumbled, but there was just the tiniest hint of levity repressed in her tone.

Or maybe that was just what he wanted to hear.

Minute by minute, her body weighed more against him. He leaned back, only to stop when her head _followed_ and stayed rested on his chest. He sighed and glanced over at the rusted truck with red _paint._ The sun still had yet to set, and they hadn't finished their beers, and this daft woman decided that passing out was more important than any of that.

Gat carefully knelt until he could scoop her knees under an arm and lifted her, walking over to the truck to jam a beer in each pocket. Every cap that spilled on the truck was stuffed anywhere he had space to; maybe she hadn't cared about her caps, but he did. She earned them. They were **hers.** He propped her legs against the truck and reached for his shirt to sling over his free shoulder, then went off on his way back to her home.

Every step brought memories, things he never wanted to remember; like how pa used to carry him like this, even if pa never deserved any of it.

Except the grave he was put in.

Gat took a moment, took a deep breath, and soldiered on, stealing peeks at the woman who peacefully slept away. "Real cozy, ain'tcha luv?" He grumbled, trying to think of _anything_ but the whiney protests of aching muscles. And clearly failing. "The things I fuckin' do without pay... Shoulda included services like this as part of my fee."

"Shu'up asshole," she mumbled, fingers tapping his chin in a _very_ lazy slap. He looked down at her, brow arched, watching to see if she was actually asleep. And she was, or at least, he thought she was. He wasn't the best reader, but even he could peg that an honest girl like her was a shite actor and liar. He bit his tongue before he laughed; she was dreaming about _him._ He got under her skin and festered in her mind whether she liked it or not.

Good. _Good! _Revenge was sweet.

Victory was short-lived when he finally got to her house, because two very important questions proved to be a challenge to answer. Where did she hide her keys? And, most importantly: how the fuck was he supposed to _get_ them? He propped his knee against the door for her legs to rest on, patting her pockets down. He honest to god breathed a _prayer_ when he felt her arse and picked the keys out of her back pocket; the prayer not so much for her not to wake up, but more for him to stop naughty ideas from getting out of control.

And he opened the door _without_ the bloody keys.

**x - x - x**

Humming roused Piper. She groaned and pulled the sheets over her head, unwilling to shake off the vestiges of sleep even when her sluggish brain kept shouting _'alert!'_ There was nothing to be alerted about. Shush, brain. It wasn't like she was in the middle of a war zone.

...But where was she?

Curiosity poked and prodded and she growled as she squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as possible, but more questions slowly pulled her to reality, and she cursed herself. It was so easy, like a fish biting the obvious bait and fighting for all hell even if it knew it was doomed. A door slammed loudly and it finally startled her fully awake. She shot up in bed. _Her_ bed.

Memories flooded in when the dam broke, but she was missing the critical memory of how the hell she got back home. Was she drugged? Drunk? The last thing she remembered was... "Oh, no." Her cheeks flushed hot, and a war started within her; was she embarrassed or angry? It was hard to tell, and she didn't know if she wanted to hide under a rock or burst out of her skin. She shot out of bed and looked down at herself; she was still in her god-awful smelly clothes. Then she looked at her chair, and pieced the puzzle together when she recognized Gat's shirt slung over it. He was in her home, and the asshole didn't even think to wake her up and ask if he could come in. He just _invited_ himself in.

Nat. Did he see Nat? Dread gripped her at that thought and she rushed downstairs, but Nat's room was empty. Piper hadn't stopped and pivoted sharply, _leaping_ over her fucking coffee table as she charged to check outside... And let out a sigh of relief. The sun was still setting.

"Hey Piper!" A distant voice called out, and she waved without thinking when she saw her sister; then she checked around, her heart kickstarting into panic once more. If Gat left his shirt, he would come back for it, right? He'd see Nat anyways if he invited himself in again, if he kept her keys. She patted herself down and let out another breath, she hadn't even known she held, when she took them out of her front pocket. She heard a crunch under her foot and noticed a folded newspaper, frowning in confusion as she picked it up. A piece of paper slipped out, the details of a bounty job. She glanced over her shoulder.

Gat's duffel bag was gone, and her treasured clothes were left on a cabinet.

Along with caps haphazardly spilled out.

Anger boiled under her skin but she kept it contained for Nat, and the little girl tossed her backpack at Piper. "Catch! Cya!"

"Hey!" Piper scrambled to catch the heavy thing, comforted by the weight of textbooks. Textbooks Nat was supposed to open up _now_ instead of _later. _"Where are you going?"

"I'm meeting Nina at the playground. Cya!"

And just like that, Nat disappeared as fast as she came. Piper sighed and lumbered back inside the house, swinging her little sister's backpack around the makeshift wall to drop it off. She plopped on the couch and helped herself to a pack of smokes, to fizzle out the anger that burned inside and calm down enough to think about what the hell she was supposed to do now. Why did Gat go off by himself? She didn't care who he thought he was; it was dangerous for anyone to travel at night. She took out the bounty paper and read it, and read it, and read it over and over and _over _again as ideas gnawed away at her from the inside.

How could she even be _worried_ about that asshole, after what he did? No skin off her teeth if he got himself killed; then she wouldn't have to worry about her debt, and he deserved it after what he did to that poor farmer. After she got shortchanged by that old hag, she wasn't surprised that the farmer tried to nab some extra caps. He probably had a family to feed; not like Gat. It wasn't like he was in a rush, not like her, who actually had someone to care for. Even if he didn't know that.

Piper ruffled her hair out of frustration and chugged her cigarette as if her life depended on it, lighting another one as she tossed the bounty on the coffee table. What the hell was she supposed to do? Against her will, every part of her screamed to look for him. Maybe she was stupid for having a heart after all; at least, a heart for the likes of someone who didn't have a heart. At least she knew where _not_ to aim if she ever wanted to kill him.

Hums caught her attention and she looked at her press machine, which whirred pleasantly rather than the sketchy rattling it usually did. She picked up her wrench, suspicious anyways, and decided to tune it up... Only to find that it already _was._ A dusty toolbox hid behind it.

"_Fuck._"

Why the hell did he have to go and touch her things? Just when did he even do this? She was extra paranoid now, wondering why the toolbox was hidden. There had to be a screw loose somewhere, a disaster waiting to happen just so that he could still mess with her eventually. She checked every nut and bolt, running a loving and worried hand on her old girl.

Everything was tightened to perfection. Nothing was too loose or too rigid, and she begrudgingly fell back on her haunches as she stared at her press machine. "I don't get you," she muttered, tossing the wrench aside as she tried to piece the puzzle together that was Gat. He only cared about caps, but then he did little shit like this, or scouted out places to best enjoy the view of a freaking sunset, pairing it with the right choice of beer on a humid evening. He was a lot more thoughtful than he let on, yacking away about money all day instead. Why was he so _infuriating_ like that? Why did he hide the kind of man he actually was?

Maybe because that was just her hope talking, projecting what kind of man she wished he actually was. She dumped herself back on the couch and finished her cigarette, then stared at the ceiling. She combed her fingers through her hair as she wracked her brain for answers and decisions, groaning as she forced herself to gear up. She scrawled a hasty note for Nat and left it on the sleeping bag, then left before her brain could catch up with her heart.

And the door opened _without_ keys.

Piper's hand snapped to her gun, but she hadn't taken it out of her holster in case if it was Nat, cursing herself for not locking the door. She was smacked with something worse than a burglar.

"...Gat?"

Gat stepped in, duffel bag hung over the shoulder and stared back at her with an equally confused look. "Uh, yeah, luv? Why are you looking at me like that?" He dropped his bag on top of the washer machine and bent down to unlace his boots, toeing them off as he invited himself inside. It was as if he thought he _lived_ here. He shot a mischievous smirk at her when she hadn't answered. "Aw, shucks, yer flatterin' me Boss. Speechless? Knew y'had the hots for me, didn't think y'liked me _that_ much."

Instinct took over and she marched up to him, punching him across the shoulder. He laughed and rubbed it, sticking out his tongue at her. "There we go, knew y'were still hidin' in there somewhere." His gaze roved down her body, and for a second, she felt utterly bare. She huffed and turned around to collect her hat, groping for a suitable excuse for the inevitable question. "Y'were going somewhere?"

"I forgot there's something I'm suppose to do," she blurted, and fought through it when her body wanted to freeze at her obvious lie.

"Uh huh. Like what?"

"None of your business."

"That time of the month, luv?"

Piper's face flushed red and she whirled around. "N-no! What the hell is wrong with you?! God, you're such a creep!" Without thinking, she left him _in her house_ and rushed for the exit of her news trailer. Her hands trembled as she took out the keys and locked the door behind her, then turned around, yelping when he was right there, leaning against the entrance. Why was his hand behind his back? Was he holding a gun? Was he finally going to turn on her, as all mercenaries did?

"Guilty," he replied merrily, and his hand came out. She grabbed her gun, but scrambled when he tossed something to her. A large cap sack. She opened it and looked inside.

"Wha..." Her head snapped up, but he was gone. She huffed, knowing there was only one place he'd go, and turned around as she got her keys out. She spotted something in the corner of her eyes and saw an innocent cloth resting on top of her press machine, and her cheeks warmed, flustered and annoyed. "Ugh! You have _some nerve, _Gat!" She marched inside and crossed her arms at the sight of the arrogant mercenary who made himself comfortable on _her_ couch, smoking _her_ cigarettes. Just as she opened her mouth, he held out his hand and cut her off.

"Wait, wait, wait, I got this, Boss. I've been practicing my mind-reading skills." He took a long drag from his cigarette, blowing a circle of smoke her way. Another drag, and he shot a straight line through the middle. "You're thinking: _o__f course you did. _That's right, innit?"

"Uh huh. And can you read my mind to tell what I'm going to do next?"

"Choke me?"

There was something sincerely wrong with this whole fucking situation, and how laid back he was with it all.

Gat spread his lap and tapped his thigh. "C'mon, then, luv. Have a seat, make yourself comfortable. Let's find out if it's gonna be our fetish."

"Cut it out! No more distractions, I'm not going to fall for any of them." That wasn't to say it would stop making her cheeks burn, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. Piper hastily locked both her doors, then tied the cap sack and threw it back at him. "Why did you do this? Why are you giving your money to me? Is this another trick to make me pay you back even more or what?"

"No trick." He tossed it back to her. "Promise."

"You expect me to believe that? You've been on my ass this entire time about caps, and then you give-" she bounced the sack, and it was _heavy._ "How much is this, even?"

"500. Counted it myself." He snuffed out his dead cigarette and kicked his leg over his knee, shrugging. "It's not much, but it's something."

"_Why?_"

"Are you complaining? I can keep it and still charge you 6000, if you prefer."

"I'm not complaining." She took off her jacket and hat and tossed it back on the cabinet with the caps, coming up to him, trying to ignore the way the lights reflected off his stupid chest just like the time they played their stupid poker game in the stupid cell when he stupidly _kidnapped_ her. She had to keep reminding herself who he really was, and what he did. Her memory was too fickle for her liking. "I want to know why. I want an honest answer. Stop hiding, Gat. What are you really doing here?"

"Chris'sakes, y'just won't leave it alone, huh? Yer a fuckin' reporter, alright." He helped himself to another cigarette, but she took it away from him before he had another excuse to hide his gaze behind. He sighed and raked his hair back, staring at his hands as they flopped on his lap. "Don't be daft. Just take it, free of charge. Who the fuck says no to free caps?"

"No. I don't want caps from you, I want something else from you and you know very well what that is."

Jesus, it was like pulling teeth, trying to get it out of him.

"I'm not sayin' sorry because that'd be a lie," he muttered, "should only say it when y'mean it."

"That's coming from _your_ mouth?" She teased lightheartedly, a small sincere smile tugging the corner of her lips when he grumbled, the macho and cocky posture now caved in; a man who was so hard to read before was now like an open book. She gently pushed against his knee for room and sat beside him, tucking her leg beneath her as she twisted to face him. "I'm not expecting a sorry about the farmer, Gat."

"The _thief._"

Piper rolled her eyes at his correction. She bit her tongue and refrained from retorting, knowing he would just latch on to it and use it as an easy out to get away from this conversation. She wouldn't let him. She watched as he idly rubbed his palm, and when his thumb massaged down to his wrist, she studied the scar on his hand. She boldly reached over and yanked his hand on to her lap. "You know what I'm expecting."

"I'm not givin' you a sob story either. Everyone's got a fuckin' sob story in the wasteland; reckon you got one too, ain't no way y'don't."

That wasn't something she was comfortable sharing with him; and it needled the point in her mind that maybe he just wasn't comfortable, either.

But still.

"You'll feel better if you get what you're actually feeling off your chest." She looked up at him, hopeful, massaging his scar for him. She hadn't actually known what he was feeling, but she hoped she'd get a glimpse of the man she _actually_ wanted one more time, and not the man that tried to hide that away, burying it under caps. "You owe me after scaring me the way you did with the farmer."

"Thief. And that's what the caps are for."

"I don't believe that."

There was a growing suspicion in her gut. The more he stalled, the more time her mind had to ask other questions, like: how had he even finished a bounty job or fixed her press machine so fast? She saw the sun was setting, so she would have had to of been asleep for half an hour, _maximum._ And that was still unreasonably generous. Today wasn't actually 'today' anymore, was it? Her heart sank when she noticed his gaze flick towards Nat's room. He already knew, didn't he? But that made no sense; he should be extorting her then, not helping her. She dreaded the question she asked him. "How long have I been asleep?"

No answer, and it was an answer in itself.

Piper held her breath when he stared at Nat's room; the silence starved her. He pulled his hand away from her and stood up. "I forgot there's something I'm s'pose to do."

Gat took his duffel bag, saluted, and left without another obvious lie.


	8. The Wright Way to Piss Off the Wasteland

_**Chapter 8: The Wright Way to Piss Off the Wasteland**_

* * *

Life was sucked out by the silence that Gat seemed determined to drag on between them. Everything became bleak, black and white; finish the job at any cost. A few days ago, it would have been a heavenly prospect for Piper. Something she even _dreamed_ of.

Now the distance was killing her.

Every step she took, he would take two more to stay ahead of her, never looking back. Hadn't he been at least a little curious? Did he listen if she caught up? Did he _care?_ Each attempt to try and get some sort of response from him, whether annoyed or mischievous or just anything that wasn't so monotone, failed horribly. She was lucky to get a grunt or a casual wave of two fingers over the shoulder if he wanted to show he acknowledged with a direction she gave; her commands were followed without complaint. She _hated_ it.

Bounty jobs were dwindling, and the sound of caps clanking was _not_ music to her ears. It meant he would leave sooner. She chewed her lip, wondering if he had remembered about their deal in poker. Half would be cut down if he had her scarf, so that was 3000, then take away the 300 she won. If he was in such a dire need for caps, why would he agree to take off _that_ much? Would the amount be bumped back up if she asked for her scarf back? She would take extra jobs if it meant she would, if he'd honor the agreement, anyways.

But even though he was a profitholic, she had a hunch, and a hope, that he would honor such a request if she just explained the sentimentality behind it all. Until he kicked aside the bones of a skeleton in military fatigues, and picked war medals clean.

"If I remember right, I think Mister Zwicky collects these kinds of things to show the kids when he's teaching history," she muttered as she came up beside him, not oblivious to the way his fingers tensed around the medal. "We could donate it-"

"We're selling it." The way he stated it so firmly, then proceeded to rip every medal off the uniform, did little to disappoint her; because she expected it. He picked up the skull and turned to her, holding a medal in the other hand. His grey eyes were dead, mindless, feral. "History, huh? What would you say these things are?"

Piper backed away, disturbed. She didn't like where this was going. "The one in your right hand is a skull, and the other is a medal."

"No, they're not."

She was pretty sure they were, unless she was suddenly hallucinating.

"They're just _things._ That's what we become when we die when all meaning is lost. Just _things._ Nobody cares what meaning you give it. Their value is determined by the one thing this whole wasteland has agreed on: caps. Everything else is just sentimental shite." He approached her as he tossed the skull away with no regard, and she flinched when he roughly grabbed her hand, turning her palm up to slam the medal in it. "You want to give this to some teacher? Go ahead. See how much he's going to care, and how far you'll get in life with him caring."

Piper didn't say anything. She couldn't. She wasn't speechless; there was just no way to truly express how pitiful this all was. She stared at him sadly, and he scoffed as he ripped away from her. She put the medal in her breast pocket and lumbered along, drowning in the silence again. She couldn't take it any longer. "What happened to you to-"

"I'm gonna stop ya right there, Boss. Y'know what my golden rule is: don't ask, don't tell."

"Yours, not mine. And I'm asking." She stood her ground and crossed her arms when he stopped, bracing herself for the coming shitstorm. He raked a hand through his hair and sighed, stealing a look behind him at her. "So start telling."

"Why the hell won't y'just get off my back? Can't ya tell when someone don't wanna go through their bloody life story? It's in the past. Let it stay there."

"It's not in the past if it's still affecting you in the present."

"Oh, _sorry_ I'm not a bleedin' heart like you, cause I don't want my heart bleedin' in a ditch. I ain't the only selfish sod in the world, Boss. Quit treatin' me like I'm some bloke to save." He filched a pack of smokes, _her_ smokes, from his bag and lit one up, noisily dragging it as if his life depended on it. "Sorry I ain't the man y'want me to be. I'm good for loneliness, luv, but not _permanently._ You'll just hafta find some other shitwit who believes in the same shite you do, and then you two can spread all the fuckin' love and joy to all the kids around. I'll pass. That ain't the life for me."

"It could be, if you stopped telling yourself it isn't." Piper approached, but was cautious. He'd shown himself to not harm her or take advantage of her, but she was treading on a thin line, and it only took a simple misstep in a minefield. She stood in front of him, gaze stern, but he refused to look at her. She casually stole the smoke; he could stop her if he truly wanted to. She was gambling here, putting everything on the line.

"What the hell are you expectin' from me?" Gat grumbled, frowning in annoyance as he looked at her. His eyes didn't stay long and he soldered them to something in the far distance, as if the wasteland plains of tumbleweed and packs of mongrels were the most interesting in the world. "Why y'gotta make everything so complicated? Just do the job, get my caps, and I'll be out of yer hair. Heart won't bleed anymore once y'stop seein' my ugly mug."

"What if I want to see it?" It came out as a blurt, and her cheeks flushed when his cutting gaze snapped to her. "What if I don't want you to be out of my hair?"

"I saw the look y'gave me just holdin' those things, Boss. You _know_ yer not gonna change me, or we'll both get pissed off and kill each other. Goin' our own way is for the best."

"Don't feed me bullshit and try to tell me it's chocolate. Quit being such a dramatic baby, Gat, this isn't like you. Just cut to the chase already and say how you really feel."

"Dramatic _baby? _Y'got some nerve," he seethed through clenched teeth, though softened when she smirked with vivid pride.

"Now you know how I feel."

Gat's mouth opened with a snarl and he held up a finger at her face as he towered over her; a fucking _finger_ was supposed to scare her, and she was well prepared for the fact that he'd try to exhaust every _peaceful_ means of intimidating her. He didn't know it, would probably hate it if he did, but it was even little moments like these that helped her trust him just a wee bit more.

Then a pin pulled.

Both of them followed the source of the sound, adrenaline pumping, and they tried to grab each other to make the other run when a grenade came rolling their way. Piper yelped when he _lifted_ her and slung her over his shoulder, his stupid rifle hitting her face. "Put me down, Gat!" The grenade exploded and she held on to her cap for dear life when the force sent a hailstorm of dust and pebbles their way. He rounded around the corner and dropped her unceremoniously, stealing the pistol from her hip. "Hey!"

"Y'asked to be put down," he growled, stealing a magazine from her pocket as well. Just how the hell did he know where she stashed her shit in her jacket? First the smokes, now her ordnance. He bit down on one magazine and returned fire around the corner, reloading and stuffing the pistol in her hands. "Stay here, cover me. There's a ladder there; rooftop will gimme a clear view of them."

Piper followed where he pointed, and her eyes widened in panic. "Are you insane?! You'll be in _clear view_ of them too!" Whoever the fuck them even was.

"That's why I need you to cover me. Sounds grand, yeah?" He unholstered his revolvers and set them down by her feet, taking out a handful of loose rounds. "You have permission to touch my babies _just this once,_ okay? It's a once in a lifetime offer. You're still not allowed to breathe on them, though." He took off running before she had the chance to grab him and make him stay.

Piper scrambled and peeked around the corner, slamming back when a bullet chipped away at the brick. She shot blindly as she tried to pop open one of the bull-barreled revolver's cylinder, her hands surprisingly still as she popped one round in at a time. When her magazine emptied, she jammed the cylinder inside and heard Gat cussing in the distance.

"I saw that! Don't fuckin' break it, she needs special attention! Be more gentle with her!"

"It's a _fucking gun,_ Gat!" She called it. She so fucking called it. He was emotionally attached to his guns, and she didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry that he felt more about his stupid _babies_ than another actual breathing living human being. Than _her._ She braced her wrist and readied to aim out the corner, until she heard a subtle click behind her head. A powerful shot thundered in the air and she grimaced when she felt something spray on her neck. She reluctantly looked behind, if only to piece the puzzle together as to who was even attacking them, and shuddered at the grotesque sight of brain matter and blood decorating the wall. The putrid smell made her gag.

"Bullets Occurrences is open for business, shitwits!"

"Oh my fucking god... This is not the time," she sighed and shook her head, seeking better cover as she hastily pocketed all the loose rounds and took Gat's stupid _babies. _She charged down the other end of the building, tuning out the gunfire and Gat cursing, only for her brain to catch up too late when he'd yelled for her not to run that way.

Arms snapped around her as soon as she stumbled around the corner, and she shrieked when she felt the force of a bullet whizz past her, splitting the head of her captor. She exchanged hands, however, and her scream was muffled when a hand slapped over her mouth, a gun jammed against her head. She bit down on the man's fingers and ducked, hailing a slew of curses herself when she felt something splash on her back, and she clambered on hands and feet before the corpse fell on her.

Thank god she wasn't wearing her scarf, after all. She'd even take Gat's stinky sweat over this any day.

Clothes were the last of her worries when a foot connected with her ribs and she was down, clutching and wheezing as agony diffused all the way up to her fucking brain. Another steel-toed boot kicked, and a crack echoed in her ears before her pained screams drowned it out. She was hoisted up and felt guns jammed in her back and her jaw, dizzy and nauseous and wanting to just collapse and hug her ribs and _god have mercy,_ end this misery already.

Purple dots blotted her vision, and the last thing she saw was Gat standing on the roof, his hands up in the air in surrender.

**x - x - x**

"Oi! Wake up, Boss, this ain't th'time to play sleepin' beauty."

Worry... Gat sounded worried. That wasn't right. Why was he worried? He never sounded worried. He always talked about caps or pranked her every second of the day. This didn't fit him at all, and she decided right then and there that she most definitely did not like whatever situation she was in, before she opened her eyes.

Particles of dust meandered in the air as a tiny sliver of light filtered through a hole in a brick wall. She groaned and hissed when her ribs kicked with pain on every breath in. Her head lulled lazily when pebbles were kicked her way by Gat, who's hands were behind him, and his feet were duct taped together. Her gaze dropped and she noticed she was in the same sorry predicament, and her fuzzy memory gradually connected the dots.

"_Fuck,_" she rasped weakly, licking her chapped lips. She hunched forward until a sharp stabbing pain burrowed under her rib cage.

"Look at me, luv," Gat urged, but that worry was significantly repressed this time. He was burying and hiding again.

This wasn't the time to analyze and nitpick him apart.

Piper weakly lifted her head, her gaze glossing over his body. He had a significant amount of cuts all over him and a black eye. "What did..." She sucked in a small breath with every word, gasping it all out. "_...__They do to you?_"

"Nothin' y'needa worry about, Boss, now how are yer ribs?" He grunted as he leaned forward and brought his knees to his chest, pouncing up on his feet. He hopped over, and she tried not to laugh at the sight to spare her ribs, and not his pride. Her cheeks puffed out and he rolled his eyes. "And I thought I had bad timin' when it came to jokes."

"_Sorry,_" she husked in between wheezes, "you just look like a flopping fish in the air."

"Har, har." He slammed down beside her, studying her with forced apathy. She saw what was really in his eyes, or at least, what she _wanted_ to be in his eyes. "Here, luv, lean on my shoulder, take the pressure off your side for a bit."

"They kicked both," she groaned, "my left feels worse." But she complied anyways, or at least, rested her weary head on his blood-smeared shoulder. All of this felt surreal, as if it wasn't actually happening; or maybe her senses were just dulled from how many times she's been in worse danger. "I don't think they broke my ribs though, and they haven't killed us, so they want something."

"Yeah. You." He rested his head against hers, sighing. "The fuck is with your crusade for me to feel how you do, luv? I wasn't s'pos'to know how you felt back in the cells, too."

"Why do they want me?" She ignored the second part, too weak to get riled up by even the smallest playful pokes. "Is it gunners again?"

"No, that job's done; different mercenary band. Eavesdropped on them though while they had a kid playin' knives with me; sounds like the same cartel that hired the gunners."

For some reason, _'alert!' _was being shouted across the entirety of Piper's brain. She lifted her head and stared at him as if she was trying to see him through thick fog, sluggish and depleted of energy. It took a precious minute until she remembered one _fatally_ crucial detail. "Oh. Oh, _fuck._"

"Yeah. I wasn't daft enough to tell them."

"They're never going to be contacted, then." Her eyes widened and she straightened up, no matter how much her ribs _hated_ it, and gaped at Gat. "Wait. A _kid?_ They have kids here?"

"Just one." Gat averted his gaze and turned his head away from her. "Don't, luv. We come first, and _trust me_ when I say he's a lost cause. I'm killing him if I have to."

"But first you'll make sure you won't _have_ to, right?"

Silence was her answer. She bumped shoulders with him, then hissed as agony diffused along her torso, wrapping around to her back. He groaned and shimmied around until his back faced her. "Lay on my back, should be enough of an angle to bring some relief to both sides." He grunted as he hunched forward, clearly in pain himself from all the lacerations marring his front _and_ his back. Piper chewed on her lip and lulled her head back to tap him.

"Come back up, you need to rest too."

"Just lay on me, you need to breathe."

"No. Come back-"

"For Chris'sakes, luv... I don't know how we're gonna get out of here, or _if_ we even will at all. Yer hurtin' worse, just... Just lay on me. _Please._ Manners, and shite."

Piper couldn't see his face, and though fear finally slowly trickled in as the haze gripping her mind dissipated, she tried to suppress it as best as she could and reluctantly turned until she could lay against him. She stared at the dingy ceiling where patches of plaster peeled and hung for dear life. At least she felt a warm body instead of a cold wall; a comfort she suspected he indulged in as well. "We will get out of here," she whispered, trying to convince herself to believe it so that she could be their voice of hope. "_I know_ we will."

"Yeah, and what'll happen after that? Someone else will prolly catch us then. I shoulda hightailed it outta there soon as I found out who you really were and why the fuck we were paid so much to capture you in the first place. A reporter famous for snoopin' everywhere and pissing people off. You're Piper Wright, alright. Pissin' off the wasteland the _Wright_ way." Ordinarily, she would've been aggravated over his response, but she was so _numb_ from everybody else that responded this way. It still hurt to hear from him, though. "Matter of time before these wankers will mean painful business for both of us, and I still ain't got no caps, and-"

"Again with the caps," she groaned exasperatedly. "You're worried about dying here, and your only thought is about caps."

"Your only thought is about that little girl in yer home, yeah?"

Piper froze. He _did_ know. She still refused to confirm it, though, and stayed silent. Her heart sank at his cryptic mumble.

"Well you're not the only one with that thought."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Shout out to Pinson Linson, Ddastan and kpmh2001 for your reviews! I appreciate it a ton that you guys have taken precious time to reach out to me and shared your thoughts! I know the relationship building is still slow-rolling but I only have a couple more ideas left to get it all out before things speed up a little, and to finally inject plot to direct the path the Commonwealth wasteland will take._

_However, Gat will be more of a victim of fate rather than the instigator like the SS, so if that turns you off, then this may not be the kind of story you'd like to delve any further in. His character arcs to grow are few and far in between since Gat's story is split up into a trilogy; he's definitely not going to be helping settlers any time soon. Just wanted to give a fair warning in case if you may have started to expect him to change tomorrow!  
_

_Cheers and hope to see you in the next chapter!_


	9. Where He Deserves to Be

_**Chapter 9: Where He Deserves to Be  
Warning - **this chapter gets graphic, but the worst are some dark implications in Gat's past. It'll stay there, and we'll be back to happier times next chapter.**  
**_

* * *

"I've got an idea."

"Gat, no."

"This one will work, I promise. Just hear me out."

"No, I'm not listening."

"Well I'm talking anyways. And you call yourself a reporter?" This didn't sound like an idea. "Reporters should love listening, don'tcha get yourself off like that?"

"Ew, what the heck, Gat? Why the hell do you always turn everything into sex?"

"Because it bugs ya."

Right. She really should have known that.

"Anyways, so as I was saying-"

"Still not listening."

"You should yell 'I need to pee!'"

Piper sucked in a long, hard breath through her nose, and closed her eyes. She exhaled as slowly as possible, counting up to ten as she repeated her newly formed mantra. "I am patient. I am calm. Asshole will not get the best of me. I am patient. I am calm. Asshole-"

"Will get the best of you."

Another long, hard breath. She thudded her head against the brick wall. Things would be infinitely better if she knocked herself out, but hopefully without a concussion; unless they took her out of this room and away from him, otherwise he'll just exacerbate it and literally make her mind implode from frustration. "Hey!" Piper yelled at the top of her lungs, cringing when pain shot down her sides. She licked her chapped lips and swallowed, ignoring the way Gat twisted with a sadistically eager look plastered all over his stupid face. "Put me in a different room from this asshole, or I swear I will not stop shouting until you do!"

"Right, now say you need to pee."

"And I need to pee!"

God above, let it work. She was not above using even his crude tactics if it meant she would get away from him. It infuriated her that he wasn't even the least bit bothered that she _needed_ distance squarely wedged in between them. Being kidnapped was not as bad as opposed to being forced to stay and sit beside him, listening to him talk and not being able to slap him; _of course_ he used this glorious golden opportunity to talk his ass off with no consequences.

"Look at you, so calm and patient, Boss. It's like you're a pro at being kidnapped. Shall we coin a new word? Kidnappee? Ooh, and it goes well with our pee idea."

"Gat, _I promise you,_ when we get out of here-"

"You're going to kiss m'face off for being such charming company, am I right? I'm gettin' better at my mind-reading skills."

"Oh, yeah," she drawled sarcastically, "you're _very_ close. Except I'm going to shoot your face off." She looked up at the ceiling in thought, then glared at him. "I don't even know where I should aim to kill you, anymore; you don't have a heart _or_ a brain."

"Ouch!" Gat laughed, then bounced his eyebrows playfully as he cocked his head to aim at his other _head._ "I dunno, luv, I think with that the most. Maybe my brains are there."

"Get me out of here!" Piper shouted, fighting past the winces as she struggled to hold back her tears. She thudded her head harder until the old moldy bricks caved in from repetitive force. "God! I can't even kill myself!"

"Life is so, _so_ cruel to you, luv."

"It really, _really_ is." Piper sighed and her head lulled back as she stared at the ceiling, her anger and adrenaline melting away as boredom swooped in faster than ever. She didn't dare confess of the tiny tingling in the pits of her belly, reminding her of such dreadful bodily needs and that she _would_ need to go to the bathroom at some point. She watched Gat in her peripheral vision as he shimmied over until he laid against the wall, having the gall, as he _always _did, to brush their shoulders together. Her gaze followed the trails of crusted blood down his torso, and she sighed again. "How are you feeling, Gat? You've got to be hurting too."

"Reckon not as much as you. Y'don't needa worry 'bout me, Boss, I've survived worse. Told ya no lie back at the cells."

_"I've been knocked down, blown up, lied to, shit on, and shot at, so nothing surprises me much anymore."_

"I think you did lie," Piper murmured, closing her eyes with a soft smile. "I'm pretty sure I've surprised you plenty of times." She could feel Gat's eyes on her, but couldn't bring herself to look back and reciprocate the intense gaze. He was such a loud mouth, hardcore about everything and anything no matter how big or small. Her smile grew a little more and she braced herself for an insult, a tease, when his shoulder pressed against hers a little harder.

"You sure have, luv."

...That was it?

_Suspicious..._

Piper stiffened when she felt breaths seep through her hair, and soft pressure pressed just above her ear. She didn't dare open her eyes, paralyzed by what he was doing, but neither could she pull away. His heavy sigh hit the corner of her neck and sent goosebumps to chase after a shiver.

"I have an idea to get you out of here, Boss. But you're not going to like it."

Way to ruin the moment. She bit her tongue before she let _that_ damned confession slip out, though. "What makes you think I've liked any of the ones before?"

"Heh, fair 'nough. Now, I know this is gonna hurt, but turn away from me and try to bring up your hands as high as possible. Gonna chew the tape on your wrists a bit."

"A bit? Not _off?_"

"Not yet."

"Alright, I guess." She still didn't get it, but she shimmied up on her knees and hunched forward as much as she could tolerate the agony of the pressure against her ribs. She felt utterly awkward as her pinkies brushed his cheeks, but at least the duct tape loosened. When she tried to pull it apart, he stopped right away.

"Not yet, luv. Trust me."

Those were loaded words.

"I don't get it, Gat."

"You will soon. Give it one last push for a sec, I needa see it." Confused, she complied. The subtle rip was music to her ears, and she straightened when he shuffled over on his rump until he lifted his hands to her mouth. "Alright, get me free. Fair warnin', it tastes like shite."

"Why the heck are we freeing _you_ and not _me? _I'm not going to play some damsel in distress part."

"Do you trust me or not?" Gat looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at her very obvious struggle to keep her honest answer contained. "Right, why did I ask? Anyways, you're not gonna be playin' some 'damsel in distress' part. Just _trust me._" He leaned forward and lifted his hands again. "Now c'mon, chew it up."_  
_

"Fine..." Piper bent forward, grateful she didn't have to much with how high his wrists were. She angled her head and got to work, grimacing at the disgusting taste of old sticky duct tape, but at least it was weak and easy to tear layer by layer. Not all things pre-war were good. As soon as Gat was free, he started tearing off the tape around his ankles. He did the same for hers, but kept one last layer around and tapped the outside of her feet. Before she could ask what his idea truly was, he bounced up and marched to the door, banging his fist on it.

"Oi, I already killed the cartel y'fuckin' retards! Did ya not see the tattoo 'bove my eye? I'm a gunner! You blokes got _nothing_ on the gunners. Y'got wee little piss shooters; my cock's bigger than your guns!"

There was an image.

Gat hailed every imaginable crude insult, and ones Piper wouldn't have ever imagined because apparently she lacked his creativity. Her cheeks flushed as he made more comparisons about his... _That..._ And her mind took on horrifying imagery as it painted a picture against her will. She thought it would be more insulting for men to insult another man's... _That..._ And compare sizes that way; but according to Gat, insulting another man's gun was more effective.

Nobody came, though, and Gat ran out of steam. He stopped pounding and rubbed his chin in thought. She arched her brow. "Maybe there aren't any guards?"

"I counted five; they can't'uv all left. Got to be at least one, or stick the kid with the boring job of watchin' us."

"Are you saying it was boring to watch me?" Piper huffed, though her mind soon berated her after for getting annoyed at _this,_ considering literally everything else to be mad at.

"Nah, luv," Gat shot a wicked smirk, "best guard shift of my life. I'm real glad we kidnapped ya."

"Aw, how sweet. Not. _Asshole._" Laughter bounced off the walls and she felt a smidge of pride, but tried not to let it show on her face. She held up her hands. "C'mon, free me already."

"Y'think I'm that daft?" **Yes.** "I wanna get _outta_ here, not get _choked_ here."

"I solemnly swear on my life that my hands will stay away from your neck until we get out of here."

"I don't wanna get choked outside either!"

"Well you shoulda thought about that before you annoyed me on purpose."

"Y'can sit tight there, then." Gat turned and started banging on the door again. "I sucked yer mum's saggy tits!"

Piper groaned and her head fell dejectedly, lulling straight back when a stab of pain shot down her ribs. She thudded against the wall again, honest to the good _fucking Lord _that Gat would just give it up and shut up. He was free. Why didn't he try breaking down the door, or something? If no one was answering, then nobody was here.

"There's no way they have more patience than me," she muttered. Or perhaps they simply tuned this sort of yelling out, since this likely wasn't their first kidnapping.

"Your cock smells like yer boy's arse, I wonder why!"

"Oh my god someone kill me now, _please,_" Piper whimpered, ready to just die.

This _had_ to be a nightmare. No other option existed.

Curses, neither theirs, rang out on the other side. They exchanged looks, Gat shot a proud grin, though Piper panicked; the door was kicked open before Gat had a chance to react and get out of the way, grunting when he was slammed against the wall. Two men came in and pummeled away at him, and a third carried in a chair. The child, a teenager that looked like Nat's age. Piper screamed until her throat was raw, begging them to stop as she watched them drag Gat to the chair and hold him down.

A drill spun in the young boy's hands.

"Stop!" She cried out, nauseated just by the sight when the teenager hovered the drill over Gat's thigh, who was gagged by what smelled like a urine-soaked cloth. His eyes dilated in fear, and she shrieked like a banshee when the drill whirred and ripped into his thigh. Gat's screams brought on the dizzying dots clouding up her vision again, and the world turned misty as she helplessly watched them torture him until he spat out the cloth and puked on his lap. His head hung dejectedly and he whimpered to himself when the young boy mercilessly extracted the drill slowly.

Piper's heart stopped when he approached her next, madness in his feral eyes. How could a kid _want_ any part of this?

"Mess with her, and I swear you'll fuckin' regret it, mate," Gat growled weakly. His head was yanked back by one of the men, and the kid came back with the drill, spinning it near his teeth.

"Stop, _please _I'll do anything," Piper blurted, scrambling up on her knees. "You're waiting for the cartel, right? They're not coming. I was kidnapped by gunners a few days ago and..." She ignored Gat shaking his head fervently. What was the difference between her saying it now, and him saying it before? "After the exchange, the gunners killed them. B-but I can pay you! I can pay you whatever amount they promised you, please just let him go!"

One of the men gestured for the kid to back off and came to her, kneeling to be eye-level. She flinched away when he caressed her chin with disgusting tenderness. "If what you're sayin' is true then you're outta luck, girl. Ain't no way you got enough caps to pay what they owed. But you can pay in another way." A lewd grin spread on his face as he leered down at her, then motioned for the kid to come over. "You ain't ever fucked a girl before, have ya, my boy? You'll get a taste after your dad's turn."

Horror seized Piper and she screamed when she was grabbed, the second man came over to help and Gat tumbled out of the chair to grab his leg. He kept shouting that they would regret it, but what the hell could he do? His leg was destroyed. "Leave her alone, do whatever the fuck you want to her to me instead! I'm the one that killed your paycheck, y'fuckin' retards! Shoulda stopped fuckin' each other in the arsehole if y'wanted your caps."

Silence fell on the room, and the _father_ pulled his son away from her - his manic cackles reminded her of a wounded animal whimpering for mercy. He motioned for the second man to grab Gat, who thrashed about as they tried to disrobe him instead. The father had a gun strapped on the back of his hip. Piper fell on her stomach and pushed her wrists outwards with all her might until she tore the duct tape, ripping the ones off her feet. She charged towards them and pushed the young boy out of the way to steal the gun, and hadn't hesitated to pull the trigger.

Blood sprayed up, and the father collapsed, cradling his leg. She shot the second man in the head and aimed at the young boy before he tried to tackle her with the drill. She froze, though. He was a _kid. _He was Nat's age. She _couldn't_ shoot him.

"I fucking warned you," Gat rasped, clutching his thigh as he dragged himself up into the chair. He spat on the father, and Piper shot the other leg when he attempted to roll up and attack the gunner. "I fucking _warned _you that you would regret it if you messed with her. Fuckin' stupid sods, can't believe you fell for that shite. That cartel was dumb as fuck, hiring amateurs like you. And you!" His glare snapped at the young boy and he hocked another spitball. "Y'ought to know better. You had every fuckin' chance in the world to put this dirtbag in the ground. You have one last chance now; give him the gun, Piper."

"W-what?" She stared at him in disbelief, cautiously training the gun on the young boy so that he wouldn't try to make any moves on them. "Are you crazy? He'll shoot us!"

"Not if he wants to live." Gat's eyes never left the young boy, who scowled back at him. "Pay Pa back for everything he's done to you, boy. I know you want to. Do it! Put a bullet in his bloody cock for _every time,_ make him beg the way you weren't allowed to. Put him in his grave, it's the only place he deserves to be!"

Why the hell was he encouraging the boy to kill his own father?!

Instead, the boy charged at Gat with the drill. Piper couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger, and Gat ensnared the boy's wrists before the drill impaled him in the eyes. "Shoot him!" Gat yelled, and the father crawled to help his son. She shot him through the neck, and for a moment the teenager stopped, watching the blood pool around his dad as he gurgled and grabbed his throat. Strength faded within seconds, _too fast,_ and his body went limp.

"It's over," she whispered as she warily approached the boy, "put the drill down."

"Piper," Gat warned, his gaze stern. She ignored him.

"It's going to be alright now," she urged, her heart breaking when the teenager's eyes grew sheen as he looked up at her. His finger was still on the drill's trigger, but his arm was limp. His bottom lip quivered and the drill clacked on the ground in surrender. He came towards her with his arms spread out for a hug.

"Piper!"

"He won't hurt me. It's your turn to trust _me_ now, Gat." She stuffed the gun in her waistband and knelt as she held her arms out to reciprocate the hug. A gunshot echoed. The boy fell face down on the ground as blood rapidly formed a puddle around his skull. Anger surged through her veins and her head snapped up to the smoking barrel in Gat's hand, screaming at the top of her lungs. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! He was just a kid!"

"Ain't nothin' wrong with me," he seethed, "you're the one who needs to get her eyes checked." He thrust his gun to point at the boy. "Look at his fuckin' hand."

Piper did, and bile rose in her throat at the sight of a switchblade.

"He was gonna make confetti outta yer skin like he did with me, daft woman. The hell took you so long to grab a gun, anyways? Next time, remind me not to be the fuckin' damsel, or mansel or whatever, in distress. Top twenty worst ideas I've ever had. This mess just complicated shite, wonder which friggin' hole I'm s'pose to take a dump out of now..."

He was joking. He just killed a child, and he was back to joking.

Gat continued to grumble and tugged on the bodies to come closer to him, ripping up shirts to tie around his thigh. Footsteps raced down the hallway outside, and Gat fired a single round the second somebody came through the doorway, uncaring of who the hell it actually was; not like it was likely someone would come to their rescue, anyways.

Piper couldn't tear her eyes away from the switchblade. There wasn't a part of her that wasn't shaking, and her guts gnarled as if barbed wire tangled around her intestines. She turned out of instinct and puked; it broke the dam, and tears flowed freely. She pushed Gat away when he limped over and tried to comfort her with a sorry ass hug, and she shook her head, covering her mouth as she faced away from him. "I can't," she rasped, "I can't look at you right now."

A kid was dead because of him, and he didn't even seem the least bit affected by it; _it wasn't his first time._ She liked a man who was the complete opposite of her, who was a ruthless killer and a mercenary who only thought about caps. It was disgusting, repulsive to even think about. She wiped her mouth again and again when the memory resurfaced of him kissing her, back in her _first_ cell. He was almost raped by these men, and he still brushed it off. Just what the fuck was wrong with him? How depraved was he, and how could the wasteland have depraved him to _this_ degree?

Gat tried to hug her again, and she ripped her wrists away, but he drew her entire body in and locked his arms down on her. She fought to break free, infuriated when he rested his chin on top of her head as he muttered. "I'm not sorry, luv."

"Of course you're not."

"I gave him a chance, I tried to avoid it just like you asked. He left me no choice. Or would you have preferred I let him stab us to death just because we've got ten more years on him?"

"Are you surprised he attacked us?" She conveniently ignored his last question, his point. "I killed his dad right in front of him."

"You did, and he was relieved. I know it. _I could relate. _At least he died knowin' that fucker was finally dead, too."

This was too much for her. She froze when his hot breaths seeped into the top of her scalp, and for once, she wished she hadn't pressured him to share his story after all.

"I saw myself in him."

_"Put a bullet in his bloody cock for every time, make him beg the way you weren't allowed to. Put him in his grave, it's the only place he deserves to be!"_


	10. Wrong Is Right

_**Chapter 10: Wrong Is Right**_

* * *

"You said you counted five, right? We have to find our things before we get out of here." Piper slung Gat's arm around her shoulders and renewed her grip on her pistol as they hobbled out of the room, trying to figure out which end of the hallway they were supposed to go to. She grimaced every time tendrils of sharp pain shot through her sides when she twisted or bent forward too far.

"Fuck yeah," Gat grunted, hissing every time he had to put the slightest bit of weight on his injured leg. "No way in hell are they keepin' my babies."

Piper rolled her eyes. "No, of course not. I would never dream of letting them." She saw the smirk in her peripheral vision and pinched the wrist she held. "No way in hell are they keeping my hat and jacket."

"No, of course not. I would never dream of letting them," he chuckled. "C'mon, I think that last shitwit came from this way. I remember a big warehouse, so we'll have to split up and find the last one hidin' in there. I'll be bait."

"You aren't beat up enough, apparently," she muttered, sparing a worried look every time his groans were viciously repressed deep in his chest. She glanced down at his leg, chewing her lip. "I should have a stimpak in my satchel, if they didn't take any of my things."

"_No needles,_" he wheezed on a sharp breath in.

"How else did you think we were going to treat your leg, Gat?"

"Naturally," he grunted, and they stumbled when he stepped awkwardly. He turned her to take the brunt of the impact when they slammed against a shelf. Anger flared and she framed his jaw as she glared at him as sternly as possible.

"Stop hurting yourself! God, all we need now is for you to break a bone too. Then you'll be beyond the help of any stimpak we stick in you."

"Don't say stick," he bit through clenched teeth, pain and sweat pouring from his features. "I hate needles. Fuck needles. I don't care how long it takes to heal."

"You survived with the rad away, and there's a good chance your leg can get infected if we don't take care of it. Would you rather I _amputate_ your leg?"

"Yes."

Right, she forgot who she was asking.

"Such a dramatic baby," she teased with a soft smile, her hands sprawled on his chest. She reached up and mussed up his eyebrows until he looked like a disgruntled grump of an old man, sniggering when he gave her a flat look. She traced the outline of his black eye, the corner of her nail scraping crusted blood under a gash cutting across his swollen cheekbone. She didn't have any other ideas to take his mind off the pain, no, of course not.

"My lips don't bite," he whispered, a devilish smile tugging the corner of his mouth. She flicked him between the eyes and he chuckled. "Somethin' tells me you'd get yer kicks drawin' cocks all over my face."

There was an idea.

"Do you always have to be so crude?" Piper's gaze stayed glued to his mouth, and forced herself to tear away when he bounced his eyebrows suggestively. "This isn't the time." She pulled away, frowning at him when he grabbed her bicep and pulled her back against him. "Gat, we need to find our things and-"

"Just one, Boss. _Please. _Manners, and all that shite. Kissin' you won't bugger off my mind and it's drivin' me batty." He tugged on both her elbows until she was uncomfortably pressed against him, his calloused hand gliding and hooking under the curve of her jaw. Her breath hitched when he angled his head and leaned down, frozen in place as his breaths hit her lips. "At least tell me I'm not the only one goin' crazy. I just need to know yer thinkin' 'bout me like that too."

"W-why?" Warmth throbbed at her nose, and it took all the screaming in her mind to bring her gaze up to meet his. "I don't..." His face fell, and for some reason, she _rushed_ to blurt so that he wouldn't get the wrong idea, when he should. "I don't know. And this _really_ isn't the time or place." She swallowed a yelp when he suddenly lowered, granting her a very intimate look at the depths and variety of hues swimming in his eyes, which flicked aside for a split second.

"Stay like this for a sec. **Don't. Look.** He's lookin' for a better angle."

"...What?"

"I won't let 'im shoot ya, promise. Just need him to get cockier." He cupped her chin and soldered her where she was; her blush slowly expanded to the rest of her face as Gat continued to steal looks, apparently waiting for the fifth guard to slip up. "He's hidin' behind a box propped up on a fork lift; in case if I miss. Think I will, ain't got a clear shot where we are. Take cover behind that crate on your left and I'll dive to the right. Ready?"

"Not really?"

"_Go!_" He drew the pistol from his hip and pushed her to the crate, firing off shots as he dove behind another. She took out her gun from her waistband and blindly fired over the crate, never stopping moving as she pushed forward and around the corner of another fork lift. She spotted a familiar bag by a dying cooking fire. Her heart hammered away in her ears when Gat's laughter echoed in the entire warehouse, announcing where he was hiding... And hiding her. She stole peeks up high and ducked under a shelf when boots slammed on metal above, and she watched the flooring cave in as it rushed towards Gat.

There was only one shot at this. She followed him beneath the shelves and aimed the gun up when she spotted Gat in her peripheral vision, and emptied her magazine. Her entire being buzzed with adrenaline and she held her breath as the smoke whisked away from her gun barrel. Blood dripped from the gun holes in the metal shelf, and she let out a sigh of relief when an arm hung limp over the edge.

"Haha, fuck yeah, Boss! Badass!" Gat stuffed his gun in his waistband and clawed at the crates to hoist himself back up, and she smiled sheepishly as she rushed over to help him. He slung his arm around her shoulders and brought her in for a hearty squeeze against him; he'd grinned the way she never remembered seeing him grin ever before. "Maybe I'll play the mansel in distress more often. Real sexy, watchin' the way you kick it into gear and move."

"C-cut it out," she mumbled, flattered and bashful, trying to smother the smile of pride that wanted to crack her lips open. She stuffed her gun in his waistband and reluctantly, _eagerly,_ wrapped around his waist to help him move a little more fluidly. "Come on, I think I saw your bag back there."

"They better'uv not breathed on my babies, or I'm goin' back to shoot 'em up some more and drag 'em outside for the crows."

"Yeah." It was a wonder she hadn't seen her brain from how much eye-rolling she did because of him. "I'm sure their number one priority was to breathe on all your guns."

"Coulda wanted their shite stink all over it and polish the barrels. How'd you feel if they breathed on your hat?"

"Why would they do _that?_ That's even more random breathing on guns!" There was a flare of protectiveness twist in her chest though, and she was just about dragging him to move faster. She ignored the grin in her peripheral vision and the creep staring at her, his stupid brows bouncing up and down.

"I know you can see me."

"No I can't. And I won't." Ugh, he had some freaking timing. This was way worse than her laughing at him for flopping like a stupid fish. "Can you please take this seriously? We still have to figure out how we're going to get out of here."

"Uh, go through the exit?"

"Don't annoy me if you want a crutch, smartass," she huffed.

"Y'wouldn't leave me."

"You really want to test me?"

"Yer bleedin' heart wouldn't let ya." Gat's arm squeezed her harder, and she winced at the pressure. She grabbed on to the shelves before he toppled them over, panicking when he'd thrown his weight around and turned her until her back was jammed against the shelf. "I don't know how to thank ya, Boss."

"_Not_ like this?" Piper nearly squeaked, the warmth pooling at her face. This couldn't be healthy. Any more of this, and he was going to get the wrong idea that she had some sort of tato-face condition. She splayed her hands on his blood-smeared chest, her resistance laughable as he came in close to her again, holding her hips. "W-what are you even thanking me for? I didn't do nothing."

"Naw, course not. You only saved my arse twice. All in a day's work for a badass reporter, looks like." Gat's playful smile shrouded the sinful promise dancing in his eyes as he leaned in close, his breaths brushing her lips. "Just one, Boss. I honestly thought I was gonna die back there with 'em."

"I wouldn't let them hurt you." The words rushed out without thought, and her heart whispered _validation _and _proof_ while her brain screamed of her stupidity.

"No. I'd ask _you_ to shoot me if they really were gonna fuck me up, luv. Would rather die than let you see that. Reckon y'ain't ever been forced to watch, before." He brushed her hair out of her face, a dark and haunted look glossing over his eyes as he seemed to travel a far distance away from here. Wherever it was, she hated it. "I promised myself: _never again._ I put my pa six feet under for it. Picked up his debts too, but that life was better than the sorry excuse of a 'life' he gave me."

"Gat-"

"Let me get it out while I actually feel the _need_ to, luv. Nobody knows this about me. Nobody can_ ever know_ this about me. I slipped up with that kid. But... You're still lookin' at me the way you did yesterday." He stopped, mouth opening and closing as he seemingly struggled to find the words. He sighed and just stared at her.

Piper didn't know how else to process this, or what to say. She smiled, tiny and uncertain, as she reached and messed up his eyebrows again. "And that won't ever change, Gat." Her smile broke out into a cheeky grin. "I'm not certain of much, but there is absolutely _no doubt_ that you will always be that guy who annoys me and drives me crazy."

"Heh..." He closed his eyes and abruptly rested his forehead on hers. She flushed hot from how close he was, how his mouth was _excruciating_ inches away from hers. "You drive me crazy too. You always keep me comin' for you." His fingers gripped her hips a little harder. "Your body fits perfectly in my hands, no matter what I grab."

Piper nearly choked on her own spit when she swallowed. She braced her hands on his chest, but was torn on the inside. She didn't know if she wanted to pull him closer or push him farther away, and her brain was screaming at her to come back to her senses, reminding her of who he really was.

But she only knew the man he was on the surface.

Something crashed in the warehouse and they both ducked; though Gat fell straight on his arse when he had kept his leg straight. She took out her pistol and put a finger to her lips to shush him, taking off her shoes to sneak without noise. She stayed low and stole peeks through gaps of items cluttering the shelves, investigating the source of the sound. Whoever was here likely heard them, maybe even saw them. She glanced behind her and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Gat's legs as he crawled underneath the shelf to the other side.

Didn't he say he counted five? Maybe he meant five men, excluding the... Young 'man'. Then again, if this was a mercenary band, there were bound to be more. How many did they kill before in the skirmish prior to their kidnapping? Was that father the leader of the band, or had there been some other man who fancied himself 'Commander', barking orders at everyone to do his dirty work for him?

Piper froze when a shot ripped through the air. She charged over, pistol ready in her hands, and groaned when she saw Gat throwing a hissy fit in one of the aisles. "Missed! Piece of shite gun, this fuckin' piss shooter ain't got it's sights aligned right! Fucking amateurs. That cartel musta been dumb as bricks hiring fuckers like you!"

Hopefully he was doing this to be _bait_ again; she sincerely wished that was the case anyways, for she rather deal with the aggravatingly composed and playful mercenary instead of a smoking barrel of a hothead. She spotted movement at the far end of the aisle and so did Gat, who rolled back under the shelf while she took cover behind a fork lift.

Gunfire rang through the entire warehouse as Piper tried to chase down the mercenary and corner him against Gat, but even when she ducked to see, Gat thumbed up. Frustrated, she began to climb the shelves herself. Against her will, a smirk tugged the corner of her lips when Gat, the fucking madman, started laughing; only he would in a god damn gunfight. "So badass, luv!"

Relentless and determined to chase asshole #2, she bit on the handle of her gun as she pulled herself up enough to peek just over the edge, training her eyes on the mercenary that leaped across the rows. She hid down before he saw her and spat the gun out, cocking back the hammer. She stared at the gun.

_"Y'got wee little piss shooters; my cock's bigger than your guns!"_

Piper flushed. She was holding said gun. "Not the time!" She yelled to no one but herself, cursing for giving her position away. She popped over cover and took aim, her heart rushing up to her ears when the mercenary twisted and met her eyes. She fired before he got the chance to lift his gun, catching him in the shoulder. He yelped and fell off the shelves, and another gunshot from far down below silenced his pained groans. She jumped down from the shelves and jogged over to where she thought Gat's duffel bag was, collecting it after she checked that her things were stuffed inside.

Sadistically, she grinned when an evil idea immediately popped into mind without any effort whatsoever, as if it were just ingrained in her. She ran around with great enthusiasm and vitality until she spotted Gat crawling out and into one of the aisles, and abandoned her gun in favor of digging inside for one of Gat's revolvers, breathing heavily on it before he saw what she was doing. She fogged up the barrel and smeared it with fingerprints, then dumped it back inside the bag as she came to him. She knew exactly what he would do next.

Revenge was going to be _perfect._

"Look, Gat, I found our stuff! They put mine in with yours."

"Oh, yeah? That's grand. Not the part 'bout putting your shite with mine." Of course not. "Open it up, will ya? I wanna make sure they didn't touch m'guns."

Of course he did. She _so_ called it. She knelt and dumped the bag on the ground as unceremoniously as when he dropped her ass off his shoulder, nibbling on the flesh of her cheeks to stop herself before she smirked and gave her intentions away.

His deadpan look was _priceless._

"Sorry, I forgot they need special attention," she teased.

"Uh huh." He lifted his fingers and mockingly quoted in the air. "'Forgot'. More like selective memory, innit? I can relate."

"I knew you'd understand!" Piper took great pleasure in getting back at this man with his own tactics, and she wasn't ashamed as she finally wickedly grinned away. When Gat tore the bag open, his eyes widened and his face flushed with anger, veins popping out as the _tainted_ revolver whipped out in his hand. She couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing, and _literally_ burst into tears from the pain that shot through her ribs. She hugged herself in a sorry attempt to brace them. "Y-your face!"

"Oi, this isn't funny! I fuckin' called it, and y'treated me like a weirdo! They got my baby filthy," he grumbled a hail of cusses as he searched his duffel bag for something to wipe his precious _baby,_ and she came over, balancing on the balls of her feet. She plucked her satchel and hastily took out a stimpak before he was any the wiser, stabbing the needle into his thigh and depressing all the contents in the canister. He nearly flew back a meter when he tried to get away from her, a _girly_ shriek tearing from his throat. "Get it out! What the fuck, Boss? Get it out, get it out! How could you do this to me?! What the fuck did I ever do to you to deserve this?"

"Do you really want the list, Gat?" Piper quipped without any pause or hesitance whatsoever.

Gat slapped _around_ the stimpak, terrified to just yank it out himself. Piper thought she was going to die when another wave of mirth overwhelmed her, and she crawled on her decent side to try and catch up with the shrieking man. She reached valiantly and plopped on the ground when she pulled the stimpak with a prayer for it not to get stuck on the makeshift bandages on the way out. He palpated around his thigh, and whenever he shot a look at her, he had the most sullen eyes.

"I can't get over this," Piper chuckled, crashing on the ground as the last of her adrenaline filtered out of her system. She couldn't move. She just wanted to _sleep._ "After all you've just been through these past few hours, and still your biggest problem is a freakin' needle."

"No it's not," Gat mumbled, but there was something about it that tried to warn her about... _Something._ She weakly looked up, wondering what he was doing as he crawled over, his face upside down, hovering above her. His elbows cradled her head and he scooped his hands under her shoulders. Warmth, for the umpteenth time, took it's sweet time to expand it's territory as they stared at each other. "I've got a problem way bigger than that."

"Them breathing on your _baby?_" Piper smirked as his face fell deadpan, and it looked so amusing upside down. She reached up to mess up his eyebrows again.

Randomly, he cupped his hands over her eyes and shrouded the world in darkness. "I know that was you, luv. I could smell your breath on the gun."

"W-what? That's not creepy at all," she laughed nervously, "and it wasn't me. And why the heck would you actually smell your _gun?_ That's weird. Weirdo." She froze when she felt his breaths patter against her nose, gradually growing searing hot. He was nearing. "Do I even want to know what my breath smells like?"

"Cigarettes and sugar bombs." It came without hesitance, and his hands started to feel _cooler_ against her eyes. "So daft, so you."

_This _guy was calling _her_ daft?

"Smokey and sweet."

Oh.

Well, then.

"Pack rat, you are. Saw the stash of sugar bombs and deviled eggs when I dropped you off in bed." He pressed in a little tighter. "I ought to be gettin' away from you."

"Me? Why me? _I_ should be the one getting away from you."

"But you make me come back every time," he went on, ignoring her. "You're my biggest problem."

"I'm not liking where this is going, Gat." She sucked in a sharp breath when she could feel every single pitter patter against her lips, his hands firm over her eyes. She couldn't say anything, couldn't move. She didn't _want_ to. And she did. But she didn't. And she couldn't. And maybe she was just overreacting, maybe this was evidence of something else entirely and not what her heart secretly hoped for; except it didn't remain a secret to her, and she hated it. She blindly reached up, hoping to push him away without poking his eyes out.

Her hand curled around his nape instead, her pinkie brushing against his hairline. She didn't _correct_ herself.

Why did wrong always feel so right?

Piper's heart hammered away when she swore she felt the subtlest brush against her lips, but she wasn't sure if that was just the breath of his gravelly whisper.

"_Are you sure, luv?_"


	11. The Wright Choice

_**Chapter 11: The Wright Choice**_

* * *

Piper's face was nice and toasty against his hands, like a bonfire. He smirked at that thought.

_"You're a good looker, and I like a nice bonfire in a sassy woman."_

More words that couldn't have been truer; naturally, since he said them. But for some reason, he had an ominous feeling brewing in his stomach. He decided to go in for the kill and lowered to claim her lips. Lips that fired off a bullet and made him eat it.

"Oh my god, Gat, what is that smell? What did you _eat?_"

"What? Didn't eat nothin'." What a terrible reminder he was running on an empty tank.

How the hell was smell her biggest problem right now? This had to be an excuse, and that she was just getting cold feet for something she had a hot face for. Gat was so, _so_ close, and then he remembered something critically important. He leaned back and reluctantly took his hands off her eyes. "Oh. Yeah. They shoved that cloth in my mouth, smelled an' tasted like piss." He stuck his tongue out and gagged at the reminder. "Fuckin' wankers."

"Oh... Right..."

Well, that was that, then. Gat groaned as he rolled right off and flopped on the ground in defeat. "Dunno what's worse: that y'found a reason, or that it's a reason I wouldn't kiss ya over either." He looked up when he noticed her come up on her knees, putting her jacket on with that look she always made whenever she was deep in thought. Hopefully she was deep in thought for _reasons,_ but that hope was out the window when she searched the duffel bag and took out another stimpak.

"Wait," he held his hand out, "I'm not an unreasonable man, luv. Let's talk this out and renegotiate. I'm sure we can work up a fair deal, yeah?"

Piper stared at him with her eyebrow arched, seemingly confused about something; then she looked at the stimpak and smirked, shaking her head. "No, this is for me." She rolled up her shirt and held it under her breasts, exposing the bruises on each side of her ribs. It gnarled something sickly hot and dark around Gat's guts, and he clawed himself up into standing as he hobbled over to her.

"Let me, Boss."

"Revenge, huh?"

"Nah. You've got enough to deal with without needin' to bend and pick a spot. Hurtin' enough, yeah?" He plucked the stimpak from her before she had a chance to protest, adamantly ignoring the sight of the needle. He looked the other way and held it up to her. "Uh, just uncap it for me?"

Piper chuckled. "Jeez... I'll never understand you."

That brought a smile to his face. He felt the stimpak twist in his hands before a notable pop cut the air, and then he looked at her torso. "Hold your shirt up with both hands. This the last stimpak y'found in there? Gonna hafta split this up if it is." He hunched over and ran his fingers along the darker bruise taking a large chunk of her side, glancing up when she inhaled sharply. "Did that hurt?"

"No. Yes. No."

"Uh..."

"Wait. Yes to the last stimpak, no to the... Hurting." Piper's throat flushed darker than her cheeks, and she turned her head to look away, teeth worrying her bottom lip. She cleared her throat. "Hurry up, will you? I'm not crazy about being stabbed with needles too. Just get it over with."

"You got it, Boss." But first thing was first. He wrapped his hand around her ribs with as light of a pressure as he could manage, his thumb sweeping across her skin. Her throat invented a darker hue and he watched as her chest kicked up in an abrupt breath. Gat bit his tongue to stop himself from smirking before his _validation_ was taken away from him. He focused on where to inject the stimpak, palpating what area felt warmest and swollen. "Alright, brace yourself. Cuss at me if y'want."

"You don't need to tell me that," she murmured her tease, and tensed beneath his hand. A groan was viciously repressed deep in her chest when he sank the needle into her, but not before he looked away _himself._ She cussed when he pulled it out. "Don't poke me without _looking,_ I might as well do it myself!"

"I know where I'm poking, ain't gonna stick me in my own thumb. S'why I'm feelin' around so much." He felt her other side, stealing a quick look up when he'd noticed her staring. She averted her gaze as soon as their eyes met. Her belly kicked against his hand when he let it drop and slide down her waist.

"Are you _sure_ that's the reason why you're feeling around so much?" Piper muttered, and he chuckled.

"Course it is. Honest."

"_Uh huh._"

That snarky sass act disappeared soon enough when he sank into her other side unprepared, and her mouth dropped before she clamped it shut and growled in the back of her throat. It was the most _not _arousing and unflattering sound she could ever make, and yet it spoke to carnal desires deep within him. He had to say his own silent mantra within his mind, that she wouldn't get the best of him, that he was not going to repeat the same mistake that he did in the cells; but he swore he would steal her lips again if she kept stealing shy looks at him.

When their eyes met again, he soldered to her gaze and straightened, cupping her chin. She smiled timidly as she dropped her shirt and placed a finger on his lips. "Thank you, and no."

"Any chance y'know what _kind_ of 'no' that is? Is it just for now, or forever?"

Piper chuckled and stepped away from him to work her boots back on and button up her jacket, a wicked smirk curling the corner of her lips. She wasn't the one who gave him an answer. Her eyes widened in panic and his heart sank to his stomach, she pushed him out of the way and he crashed into the shelves, knocking cans over to the ground. She scrambled for a pistol, but Gat watched as it slipped from limp fingers when a gunshot ripped through the warehouse and echoed inside his brain, white noise consuming him shortly after. He dove for Piper's gun and slid the barrel back, firing several rounds at the shitwit that cussed over killing his paycheck.

Caps was the last thing he'd ever worry about.

Gat didn't check if the man was _actually_ dead, as he always did as a precaution, and dropped on his elbows, crawling faster than he could walk. Every motion came mechanically, checking for a pulse, watching as thick blood pooled beneath Piper's still body. Her pulse was faint, but it was _there._ Her expression still twisted in fear. This wasn't how the bleedin' heart was supposed to go, not with an actual heart bleedin' out right beneath him, _because_ of him.

"Piper," he hissed as his hands trembled to undo the buttons of her jacket. "Piper." What the hell was he going to do with no stimpaks left? "Piper?" One of the bodies had to be carrying something; but there was a very real chance that this damn woman was going to be added to the body count. "Piper! Why the _fuck_ would you do that? Y'should'uv put me in front of you!" He continued to berate her, for her stupidity, for her priorities, for her fucking bleeding heart.

_Why?_

That was all he could ask over and over again, and the answers terrified him. He was a mercenary who only cared about caps, and she owed him a hefty sum. This was the third fucking time she saved him, when it should've been _third time's a charm,_ and kill him instead. Then she wouldn't have to worry about no payments. She would get on with her life with that little girl.

...There was a little girl waiting for her back home.

"Y'fuckin'... _Why?_" Gat, just as daft, was extra careful with the stupid precious buttons of the stupid precious jacket. _What did it matter?_ There was a fucking hole in it, in her chest, and his brain screamed that _it didn't matter _anymore, but he was still as fucking daft as this fucking 'reporter' who wouldn't even get to fucking piss off the wasteland anymore and-

"Wha...?" He was smacked with confusion when he unbuttoned her jacket. There was no blood on the front of her shirt. He rolled it up to her breasts and peeked underneath, but there was nothing. She stirred with a low groan, and he froze in place when hazel-green eyes cut into him, before Piper's gaze fell on his hand. She flushed beet red and he immediately let go of her shirt, shaking his head when fury marred her features. "I swear I was checking where you're bleedin' from," he blurted, holding her down by her shoulders when she tried to crawl up on her elbows. "Stay still! He fuckin' shot you, we need to find out where."

"I don't feel any pain anywhere," she fought through his resistance and tried to look over her shoulder. "Except my back. I think there's something there."

"Wait, then, I'll roll ya over on your side." Gat shimmied over in an awkward half-kneel, curling his hand under her head to brace her as he clutched her hip. She swatted his hands and rolled on her own. "Stubborn woman..."

"That's coming from _you?_" Piper's tease was too weak for his liking; she was too vulnerable, too easy of a target right now. He swallowed it down and hunched over her to take a look at her back, his mind trying to piece the puzzle together. Why the heck would her back hurt if she was shot in the front?

Probably because she wasn't even fucking shot _at all._

Gat stuck a finger in the red 'blood' and brought it to his nose, sniffing tentatively. His eyes snapped to the can that was jammed against her back, the culprit with contents oozing out the lid; he groaned, swatting it away as he rolled back on his haunches and shoved her back on the stupid puddle. "Yer not bleeding, it's _paint._" He plucked at the collar of her jacket and warded her hands from warding him away, the two having some sort of stupid slap fight until he extracted a heavy metal from her breast pocket.

A heavy _medal._

"Fuck..." He squeezed the war medal until dull pain throbbed at his fingers, staring at the bullet lodged just a little off center. He pocketed it as he looked up at her, and she was sluggishly inspecting the stupid hole in her stupid jacket with the most sullen look he'd ever seen her make. "Y'just got fucking _shot_ and that's your biggest problem right now?"

"I don't want to hear that from you," she fired back, her voice cracking and croaking. She grumbled as she pushed herself up into sitting and spread her legs out wide, idly rubbing her back with a whine. This was giving Gat _horrible_ ideas. Good ones. "My whole back's gonna be bruised too..."

"Boss." Gat rocked forward and grabbed her shoulders, resisting the undeniable _urge_ to shake the insanity out of her. Maybe she was in shock right now? "Look at me, luv." He cupped her chin to force her to look at him, her eyes slightly clouded and unfocused. "You got **shot.** D'ya have any fuckin' idea how lucky you are? If that bullet was a few more centimeters over, that wouldn't be just fucking paint beneath you."

Ironic, really. He grew up being taught that the blood leaving a body was just red paint, that it was all just a game. How many people had he killed as a kid, not knowing what he was really doing?

Unhinged, he used her to push himself up on one leg and pulled her up, then leaned over to grab his duffel bag and slung it over his chest. He took her hat out and fluffed it out in the air, then dumped it on her messy head. Sideways. He smirked a little when she shot an annoyed look up at his hand and fixed her hat, angling _just right_ as she patted the bent piece of paper. Probably to make sure it was still there, he wagered. Fucking 'Press'. How many of those had she gone through, seriously? That was some dedication to a made up job.

"C'mon, we ought to get out of here before more of those arseholes show up to ruin our day." Gat held his arm out and she scooted underneath without any word nor protest, and he watched over her carefully as they lumbered down the warehouse, following the exit signs. He was dying to know something, though. "Hey Boss, why the hell d'ya keep saving me, anyways? Life would be easier for ya if y'left me to die."

Silence, but only for a second. Her answer came without any hesitation.

"It's the right thing to do; doing the right thing has never been easy, but I wouldn't choose any other way. That's what my dad taught me."

Lucky she had a decent dad. "Well, if y'ever let me meet him, remind me to salute 'im for raising a badass lass with a good heart."

Silence, and for a lot longer than a second. He didn't know how he felt about that answer.

**x - x - x**

"Where are you going, Gat? That leads to _nowhere._ The city is this way."

"We gotta hide out somewhere for a day or two. They're gonna expect us to go back home and they'll just hit us again, and I got the feelin' that won't be the last we see those mercs." He hobbled along and held on to the wall for support, heading towards some sort of store with a huge faded sign that looked like it had grapes on it. "C'mon, these places usually have a cellar. We can bunker down, sleep safely for the night and stay cool for once."

"Wait for me then." Piper jogged and quickly slowed down when tendrils of pain snaked around her torso; at least it wasn't _as_ intense anymore, but one of them needed to _not_ be crippled to hell and back. She absentmindedly rubbed her chest at that thought, grimacing when there was a dull ache just above her breast. There was yet _another_ bruise.

At the rate they were going at, both of their bodies were going to make very colorful patterns with their injuries.

Piper grabbed Gat's wrist and hooked it around her shoulders whether the stubborn man wanted her help or not. He was going to aggravate his leg and if they were traveling _farther_ away from home, then he needed to rest whenever he could so that he could make it to a doctor. They hobbled into the store, and Gat trained his gun on their surroundings as they both checked corners and shadows for anything that might have laid in wait. Piper's nose wrinkled and she coughed when dust kicked up, her eyes watering.

"Backpedal, Boss. Think I saw a hatch in the room back there."

"A _hatch?_" Piper sighed, shooting him an exasperated look when she noticed his brow arch. "And how do you think we'll get you down?"

"Simple. Drop my arse," Gat had the most cheeky smirk, lopsided on his stupid scruffy face. "My mind-readin' skills tell me you've been _dreaming_ of the opportunity."

Piper rolled her eyes and chuckled. She dragged him into the room and to the wall so that he could lean against it while she struggled with the heavy hatch. Sharp agony diffused down her left side, the worst one, and she sat back with a huff. Gat leaned down enough to grab her shoulder as he lowered carefully, swinging the hatch open as if it weighed as light as a feather.

"Show off," she grumbled, ignoring the husky chuckles; especially when they made her feel _things._

"Didn't say nothin', luv."

"Don't have to, it's written all over your face."

"Ah, right. I gotta stop forgettin' that I've got a master reporter readin' between the lines of my forehead." Gat laughed when she paid him back with a swift jab to the shoulder, then leaned forward to look down the hatch. It was dim and the air was cool. "Alright, shove on over and lemme hobble my arse down first, make sure it's safe down there." He climbed down before she had a chance to protest, and she sighed as she followed after him. Each rung creaked under her boot.

"Really hope this place doesn't fall on top of us or cave us in here," she grumbled, "that's all we're missing to really complete this shitty day."

"Shitty day, huh?" Gat searched in his bag and took out some sort of makeshift object that looked like a flashlight, winding it up with a lever on the side. It piqued her curiosity and she angled her head to get a better look, smiling when he stole a sideways glance at her and noticed her interest. He held it out to her after he turned it on. "Made it myself, y'like it? I can make one for ya too. Always comes in handy."

"How long does it last for? And do I have to crank that long every time?"

"Just a minute." He slung his bag over his shoulder and crossed his wrists so that the flashlight was under his gun, illuminating the cool cellar where barrels upon barrels were stacked on each other. He limped forward, his bad leg dragging behind, and she frowned. She was _right here._ She could help with something; he had to of been accustomed to working with partners and groups, right? Order her around like the big flashy 'sergeant' or whatever he was?

"It only lasts a minute?"

"What? Oh, nah. It oughta last a good hour if ya crank it up for a minute."

"How did you even figure out how to build one?"

"Books. Lotsa nifty stuff to be found in libraries," he threw a taunting smile over his shoulder. Uh huh. Here it came. "Reckon you'd know that, with all those shelves of yours."

"Did you go through _everything?_" Piper whined, then glared at him when an idea popped in her head. "You better have not messed with my drawer." For _very_ obvious reasons.

"Course I did, luv." Ugh, the nerve of this jerk and his stupid cheeky smile! "Where else would I find your smokes? Had to think like ya if I wanted to hide my smokes from a kid." Gat looked away before she could read his expression. There was something about his tone that made her uncomfortable, whenever he had talked about _knowing_ of her little sister in a roundabout way. Was he upset she hid it from him? He may have been annoying, but as boasted, he was _somewhat_ of a reasonable man. He had to have some guesses on why she didn't tell him.

_"Your only thought is about that little girl in yer home, yeah?"_

Every time it came up though, it almost sounded like he was far away. Maybe he could relate to her?

_"Well you're not the only one with that thought."_

Did he have family? Was that why he always needed caps, or had he confessed that he was worried about Nat because he saw himself in her, somehow?

There were too many questions she didn't have the _energy _to deal with right now. She wanted nothing more than to lay down and finally call it quits for the night, and relief washed over her when nothing jumped out at them. Every single corner was licked clean and cleared; only the danger of dust threatened them. She picked a spot, toed off her boots, and took her jacket off to roll up into a pillow.

Eyes roved over and soldered to her, and she hated how self-conscious she was beginning to feel every time Gat stared at her. She took her hat off and held out her arm towards him. "Here, I'll help you lay down so you don't drop 'on your arse' and break it."

"So much for dreamin' of the opportunity, guess I was wrong."

"No, you were right. I did dream of it, I'm just making the biggest mistake of my life by passing up on the opportunity," she teased, smirking when she got a gravelly chuckle out of him. He held on to her forearm as he lowered slowly, flashlight aimed up at the ceiling, and lined his bag up beside her jacket. "Isn't that going to be uncomfortable, laying on your guns?"

"Safest place for 'em is within my reach."

_Of course_ he still worried and talked about his guns as if they were living things. She really wouldn't ever understand him.

"Here, stick your hat inside the bag for safe keepin', Boss."

"Thought you didn't like having my things in your bag?" She knelt and stuffed it in there as soon as the zipper opened, though. She didn't need to hear what he had to say to already roll her eyes and _save_ herself the time.

"Makes no difference no more, since my babies have been defiled already."

That gave her horrible images.

"I'll never be able to tell if you're serious or not."

"That's the whole point of teasing ya, luv." He took something out of his pocket and placed it overhead as he laid on his bag, neck craned uncomfortably, and she hesitantly laid down on her jacket as her treacherous mind betrayed her with _ideas._ Worse yet, she had started unfolding the jacket and made it longer, though it lost it's fluffiness. As long as they wouldn't wake up with red paint stuck to their faces, she didn't care. She scooted backwards and patted the spot in front of her, then turned around so that her back faced him.

Tension slowly built for every single second he stayed silent, especially when he complied. She couldn't feel him, but there was warmth licking her back, and the cool cellar air did marvelous wonders of reminding her of the wretched tato-face infection. Her breath kicked in her chest when she felt boots curl under her feet as he saddled up closer to her, his body conforming to her back. She froze, paralyzed, and didn't dare look back or croak and ask what the hell he was thinking. Then she felt him shiver.

That wasn't a good sign.

Piper twisted her torso to look behind her, unable to meet his eyes, and was reminded that he was shirtless. He tucked closer and forced her to face front, his arm loosely draped over her waist. "Sorry, Boss, I know y'don't like this." No, no, that was exactly her true_ '_biggest problem'. She did kind of sorta maybe like this, but he would _never_ know that. "Just wanna make sure I ain't gonna go to sleep and die as a popsicle; especially since you worked yer arse off, keeping me alive. Somethin' tells me you'd bring me back just to kill me again for it."

Laughter snorted in the back of her throat. _Very_ ladylike. She didn't care, and she liked he didn't seem to either. As if _this_ guy would care about manners, period, anyways. "I just had a funny image of you as a popsicle," she mumbled, resting her hand in front of her as she closed her eyes. She chewed on her lip, analyzing every single sensation of where he was pressed to. After everything that happened between them, she was still caught in limbo of feeling safe and unsafe with him; where his arm was had her doubting if it would _remain_ there... But if Gat had any unwanted intentions towards her, he had plenty of chances to act on them; it had to count for something if he hadn't, right?

This was confusing her. She liked him and she hated him, and she didn't know what the hell to choose. He always drove her crazy in the best and worst of ways. Piper nibbled on the flesh of her cheek when he started to snore softly, his arm feeling heavier by the second. She re-positioned it to be lower on her hip so that it wouldn't aggravate her ribs.

Curiosity caught up with her before sleep did, and she angled her head up as subtly as possible, reaching for whatever he had taken out of his pocket. Her fingers bumped into something with dull edges, and she pieced the puzzle together as soon as she lifted the heavy metal. The heavy _medal._ She brought it to her face, thumbing over the bullet that was lodged inside. This nearly took her life today. She had almost sacrificed everything, sacrificed Nat, to save a ruthless mercenary she had wildly contradictory feelings for.

Disgust and shame were no longer emotions she felt, though, and what she had begun to feel had _terrified_ her. She was just as confused as he was when she pushed him out of harm's way, because _why_ was something she asked herself too, and couldn't find it in her heart to admit it out loud. But when he buried his face in the back of her shoulder, the muddled answer became just a tiny bit clearer.

Saving him was the right thing to do; the Wright lifestyle, the Wright choice. It was what dad would have done.

_Dad..._

With a heavy heart and exhausted mind, Piper drifted off to sleep with her memories.

And slipped her hand over Gat's.


	12. Family Man

_**Chapter 12: Family Man**_

* * *

Old blood and heavy musk roused Piper from her sleep, and her nose crinkled in disgust of the strong odors. Her eyes fluttered open. It was edging on darkness without the flashlight to illuminate the dim cellar, and her sluggish brain tried it's best to figure out what in the world she was staring at. _'Alert!' _was not the sign she wanted to wrap around her mind so god damn early in the morning. If it was morning.

Sleep was precious, and she already decided she did not like whatever the cause was for these smells; which most likely meant Gat. She wiggled her fingers, glancing down at her hands. Whatever she was pressed to, it was hard and soft, and that made absolutely no sense to her. She pushed and found there was a squishy give... Then it tensed. And flexed. And Gat groaned.

_'Alert!' _just about summed up how fucked she was right now.

Piper felt something bump into the top of her head, and an arm slung around her had pulled her closer, crushing her against him. Her entire face flamed within seconds, panicking, _enjoying. _She wondered what the hell she was supposed to - _not _\- do. There was no way out of this, and she braced herself for the relentless teasing, the hard time he was undoubtedly going to give her. She drummed her fingers and tapped what she assumed was his torso, turning her head before he'd drawn her to accidentally kiss his chest.

_Ideas_ flourished at the possibility, and she viciously silenced them. "Gat?" Piper piped ever so quietly, wriggling about. He groaned again, then yawned, and every flaccid muscle - _god, why flaccid?! - _went... Rigid.

Yeah.

Fuck life.

"Gat, wake up. We need to get moving." Maybe if she urged him to kick it into gear, his brain would conveniently skip over this and jump straight to action. "I think I heard footsteps."

"_Shhh..._"

"Don't shush me! We could be under attack!"

"We're not, I'd be the first one awake. Now _sh_ and lemme hold ya for a bit longer."

Of course his brain wouldn't conveniently skip over this, because when do things ever go right for Wright?

Seriously.

_Fuck life._

"G-Gat," she mumbled, and he responded by squeezing tighter. Her cheek was uncomfortably squished against him, and she sighed, giving in. At least he wasn't taunting her... But she didn't feel right, not when she wasn't fully committed in her mind. Her heart wanted what it starved for, to fill that emptiness and loneliness inside. She just hungered for anything that didn't immediately involve being berated for her questions, or her investigating, or her _helping. _Gat berated her very core, though, her heart. There was no future for them, not when they were complete opposites. She _knew_ that. She _knew_ they would only be upset, for they'd try changing the other.

Why hadn't he known that? She wagered he'd think with his head more than his heart; maybe it was because he always thought with his head for everything else, that he didn't know how to handle or was aware what his heart starved for. Piper reckoned a gunner's life didn't exactly offer too many opportunities for companionship.

...Just like a reporter's life.

"_Stop,_" she whispered to herself, and she held her breath when she felt Gat move. The pressure was lifted off her head and his eyes were all over her. She _knew._ That intense gaze always made the hair on her nape come to stand. She was torn into two when he pulled himself away from her and a cold front washed over her, his warmth nowhere to be found. Piper schooled her face when she heard the crank of the lever winding up, and a minute later the flashlight illuminated the room, the beam aimed at the ceiling.

Particles of dust meandered and he had a serious look, analyzing her. It made her feel so utterly exposed and self-conscious every single damn time, and she pushed herself up into sitting, grabbing her wrinkled jacket to hug to her chest. She couldn't meet his eyes. "We need to get going, Gat. I have to check if Nat is okay. If they took her..."

"Nat," he echoed, and dread gripped her when she realized her mistake. "Is she your daughter?"

"W-what?" Piper's head snapped up, eyes wide. She almost laughed. "No! She's my little sister."

Queue mistake #2.

"Half sister or somethin'? You guys don't look totally alike."

Piper stared; she didn't know how to process or answer this question. So she fired one of her own. "Just what happened between you two? When did you even see her?"

"She opened the door for me when I was tryin' to unlock it to carry yer arse home," he shrugged. "Real spunky gal, fearless. Didn't give no shit who I was and said she'd pop my kneecap with a slingshot if I drugged ya or anything like that." He ran his hand along his thick stubble, a genuine and surprisingly non-sarcastic or smug smirk on his face. "Told 'er if I was stupid enough to drug ya, I wouldn't bring you home. She didn't like bein' _bested_ like that. Reminds me of someone."

Well, even if he didn't have the smirk, he had the tone. Piper huffed. "She wasn't bested, I'm pretty sure of it. You're just telling me the story you wish you could tell."

"And there it is. You two are _definitely_ sisters." Gat laughed when she got on her knees and _safely_ leaned forward, pain-free, to shove him by his chest. His stupidly shiny chest, thanks to the flashlight. It gave her a better look at all the cuts and dried blood, and without thinking, she ran her fingers across one that sliced from his sternum to his shoulder. She worried her lip when the flakes of blood stubbornly remained stuck to his skin until she scraped it off with her nail. She ignored his sharp breath and the new rush of warmth climbing up her throat.

"How is your leg feeling?" Piper mumbled timidly, working on cleaning away another cut as she scraped away the dried crimson trails. She sat on her knees and licked her thumb to help loosen up the thicker patches of blood, regarding the deeper lacerations with concern she didn't dare confess of. How much had he suffered before for none of these injuries to seem like they were affecting him?

"I'm fine, luv, worry 'bout yourself. Reckon yer ribs are still achy."

His leg had a freaking _hole_ drilled in his thigh. He couldn't _walk._ That alone had to have warranted far more than just 'achy', even with a stimpak. She shot a look at him to express her dissatisfaction with that answer, and it only drew a stupid smile on his face. She slapped a hand over his mouth when it opened. "No smartass answers if you want to keep your crutch."

"No smartass answers, promise," he muffled. She drew her palm away when a hint of his tongue licked it. That better have been just an accident. "Just happy."

"About?"

"That's for you to find out, innit?"

Uh huh. Here it was. "That's why I'm asking!"

"Ain't you reporter extraordinaire, readin' the lines between my forehead?"

Piper shoved him with all her might and refused to let her aggravation show when he resisted against the force, budging an inch at best. She rose and whirled around to face away from him as she wrestled her jacket on, her face falling flat when her shadow grew at her feet as Gat aimed the flashlight at her back. The light quivered, and he grunted along. She stole a quick peek and her heart whispered to help him get up on his feet, but she squashed it. It'd teach him not to be an ass to her then.

A hiss changed her mind in an instant.

"Here, take my hand," she whirled around and offered her hand at what was about to be the expense of her ribs. Whatever cracking she heard before had to be the cartilage; she assumed a broken rib would render her disabled, and not able to help him; and whether he liked it or not, she would. She didn't care who he thought he was.

"I'm fi-"

"**No. You're. Not.**" Piper bit the words through clenched teeth, frustrated when he just stared at her with a blank look. She took it upon herself to grab his hand with both of hers and pulled with all her might until he'd at least gotten into a half-squat, then bent down as far as she could as she hooked a hand under his injured thigh. "Keep your leg straight, I'll help pull you up."

"Ain't the first bleedin' time I've come up," he grumbled, "I can do it by myself."

"How much more until you strain your other leg?"

"How much more until yer fuckin' ribs break from helpin' me?"

"Jesus, just stop arguing with me and just take my hand! Nothing's different here than the warehouse. You _need_ help, end of story."

_"Having a heart isn't stupid, Asshole. Everyone needs a hand. Even you."  
_

"I don't _need_ anything," he growled, "what I need is your money, not your hand."

_"What my hand needs are caps."_

It came full circle. Piper let go of his thigh as she straightened to give her torso a break, gaping at him, dumbfounded. "After everything we've been through, that's still...?"

Why was she surprised? Why was she fucking speechless? She should have expected this. She was reminded every fucking minute of every fucking day, and somehow, she still _fucking_ forgot. She didn't have the words; they were choked and trapped under the lump that lodged in her throat. So she let him go, and took her hat out of his bag.

Piper left him without remorse.

_"You'd make a fine gunner."_

**x - x - x**

"Are we not gonna talk the whole way back to the city?" Gat muttered, knowing he was well within ear shot of Piper.

Every step he took, she would take two more to stay ahead of him, never looking back. Hadn't she been at least a little curious? Did she listen if he caught up? Did she _care?_

Silence answered him, and he sighed. "Look, if this is you tryin' to teach me how it felt to be you all over again, then message received. I get it, alright? Now cut this cold shoulder shite out and let's talk this out like adults." Still nothing, no rise, not even the slightest shoulder hike. She was cool and composed and any time he caught a quick gander at her face, her expression was expressionless. Her eyes glossed monotone instead of the hues of greens and golds, her lips never curled to display happiness or passion or fury.

This cold gun was one he adamantly hated; give him the smoking barrel back.

Gat stuck to the wall and lumbered along as fast as he could, never able to take a break and rub his chafed elbow when she never stopped. He hated this. A few days ago, this businesslike go-getter attitude would have been a heavenly prospect for him. Something he even _dreamed_ of.

Now the distance was killing him.

"Come on, Boss!" Gat growled exasperatedly, fatigued and very much humbled by just how fucking slow he was without her; he bit off more than he could chew, and his pride could chew a lot. She still didn't say anything. Desperate for something, he took the _cheapest_ pistol out his bag, clicked off the sticky safety, and fired a round in the air. It finally got her to stop, but she hadn't turned around. He fired another, ignoring the rational voice that screamed at him to stop announcing where the fuck they were to potential enemies; especially when the threat of being ambushed by the other unknown mercenary band remained very much real.

"You want your caps, don't you?" Piper stated infuriatingly calm. She started walking again. "So keep moving."

"What I want is-" he ate his words when her torso twisted, and her steel gaze cut into him as if her fucking eyes could shoot bullets themselves. Gat engaged the safety and stuffed the pistol in his waistband, scrambling to take the war medal out of his pocket. He held it out for her to see. "I want this."

"So keep it. See how far you'll get in life."

_"...with him caring."_

Gat didn't know what she could have wanted from him. Had he truly crossed the line? He'd done worse, and she still forgave him because of that fucking bleedin' heart of hers. It used to piss him off, and now he _needed_ it. He needed it just as much as caps; that wasn't something he was going to apologize for, because he _couldn't. _It was truly a necessity he could not live without, because that meant someone else just as dear to him would not be able to live without it too.

Couldn't she understand that? She was taking care of her little sister. She could relate.

But she didn't _know._

Gat had a golden rule for a reason. He had to protect them. It was _safe_ to tell her that much... But it was too late.

Because she didn't _care._

Defeated, he reluctantly pocketed the medal again when she turned and marched off. Never had he ever regretted his decisions, because he was always driven by _need,_ and that was his convenient excuse, his comfort. He still hadn't regret it. He had done worse, but he knew he should have done his best. She had proven to deserve that much, and more; what she did for him was something he could never hope to repay. She saved him. _Three. Fucking. Times._

Without that? If she hadn't? There would be no one left to protect them. He owed her that much. Was it really too late?

"I need caps for the same reason you need them," he blurted, then held his breath. His heart sank when she still walked... But eventually slowed down into a stop. He hopped along as fast as he could, almost stumbling when he'd catch debris, and grimaced when the brick wall chafed his hands. He refused to be taken down here.

This was his second chance.

"I need caps for the same reason you need them," he repeated breathlessly, berating the good leg that had worn down into the next bad one. He patted himself down as he listened to the clacking and jingles of loose bullets in designated pockets, but there was one bullet he'd forever hold close to his heart. He took out a .50 caliber that hung on a chain necklace, and thrust it out to her. "Take a look at this." A leap of faith. He promised himself he would never let this be pried away from his cold dead fingers; now he was handing it off like it was candy. This better have not been another mistake.

Curiosity flickered across Piper's eyes for a fleeting second, but then it disappeared, buried away. Now he had a taste test of himself, of what she had to eat every day; he still couldn't promise he would change, but this painful awareness was bound to leave scars. She wasn't in any rush to close the distance, but her sticky fingers betrayed her when she'd eagerly scooped the bullet in her palm. She turned it with her thumb, her eyebrows furrowing. "I've scrounged these kinds of rounds before, but I don't remember them being this light..."

Confusion. Cute. He liked watching her expressions when it was clear she was furiously trying to piece a puzzle together. She peered close at the engraved casing. "Are these names?"

"Yeah."

"Of who?"

"Who do you think?"

Piper sighed, shooting a deadpan glare. "I'm tired of games, Gat. Just give me a straight answer for once."

"Family."

Skepticism may as well have been screamed for the entire world to hear. He deserved the look on her face. He grabbed the cartridge ever so carefully and twisted the bullet head off the casing, taking out a small roll of paper. Piper unfolded it, and he was honestly nervous of what she'd think, especially when her eyebrow arched. Never before had such a simple gesture weighed _so fucking heavily_ on his lungs. She peered up at him, finally her eyes alight with the endless colors and questions that should never been stripped away from her ever again.

"My niece drew that for me. She means the world to me," he narrowed his eyes at her, chest puffing out protectively. "And I'll do _whatever the fuck it takes_ to keep her safe."

"Safe? She's in danger?"

"Not in any immediate danger, but my old man screwed over the wrong people. People who ain't take kindly to waitin' for their money. I needed to send a shipment two days ago."

Afraid something would happen, he took the small piece of paper and glossed over the drawing before he put it back in it's protective casing. A heart with stick figures of them. As soon as he assembled the cartridge back together, he felt... He didn't know what he felt. Humility, but different. He wanted to hide for some reason. Gat couldn't bring himself to look at her eyes, and he clutched the bullet with an iron grip when she tried to take the necklace.

"I'm not stealing it," she reassured softly, her voice much warmer than it was a few minutes ago. He missed it more than he'd ever have the courage to admit. "I promise."

"So what do you want it for? It's _mine._"

"Just trust me one more time." Why hadn't he trusted her? She saved his life several times. How much more could a greedy man ask for? "Please?"

"Fine," he mumbled sullenly, "but only for a second."

"That's all I need, you dramatic baby." Piper's singing lilt lifted his hope and his spirits, another thing he'd never admit. She stretched the necklace and looped it over his head. He grabbed her wrist as soon as the bullet hit his chest, shaking his head. "Why?"

"I hide it so people won't steal it, or rip off the chain and load the cartridge in their gun."

"Pretty sure you would _choke_ them with your bare hands if they ever get that close."

Well.

She had a point.

_But._

"I don't wanna lose it."

"Pretty sure you're just making up excuses now, too." Piper's palm slipped over the bullet, patting his chest. His heart. "This isn't weakness, Gat. Was it so hard to tell me?"

"**Yes.**"

Laughter filled the world. The rich sounds painted vibrant colors, and all he could ever think about whenever he heard her was the color _red;_ a fiery red that stoked passion, whether happy or angry. It made him think of blood, but in a good way. The essence of life. He was drawn to it, drawn to her, no matter how many times he told himself he _had_ to get away from her.

Because for once in his life, he regretted a decision: he sucked in her bleeding heart in his sob story.

A story he _knew_ wasn't going to have a happy ending.


	13. Mister Always Right

_**Chapter 13: Mr. Always Right  
****Heads up - **double length chapter, give yourself time for this one. Enjoy!  
_

* * *

Stars illuminated the city and two weary travelers lumbered through alleyways. They were _so close._ It had to have been only another hour or two more before they'd finally get to kick it back with a beer and relax.

Except Gat didn't know what to make of Piper's mood.

It terrified him, honestly; she was whistling and humming cheerfully. Now, he wasn't a fan of the cold shoulder anger, but this? He didn't know how to respond to this. He kept stealing looks at the woman who helped him walk along, and sometimes caught her smiling whenever her own gaze seemed to wander to the bullet dangling at his chest.

Was she seriously that happy to know? Why? Was it because she now had something she could use against him? If they part ways, she could investigate and find out where his family resided and blackmail him. Not that she would, because he knew she wouldn't; not a bleeding heart like her. If she were ever to blackmail him, it would be emotional blackmail where she'd team up with his niece and make puppy eyes to get him to swing them. Maybe Piper's sister and his niece could be friends, playing in Diamond City's playground.

Warmth rushed through him at that thought, and he suddenly stopped walking. Tethered to him, she walked all of two glorious steps before she was tugged back by their link: his arm. He gaped at her like a dumbass. Piper's eyebrow cocked up in confusion. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I... Think your singing is nice." Gat blurted, desperate for anything but the truth. He should have remembered who he was lying to.

Piper smirked. "No you don't."

"Yes I do. Just take the compliment, luv."

"Nah, I think I won't." Of course she won't. "Now tell me the truth; and don't try another compliment, or I'll give you toilet paper for your breath."

What the hell was he supposed to do now to get her mind off this, and to get his mind off _her?_ Well, he knew what he was _not_ supposed to do to achieve that, and he did it anyways. He grabbed her elbows and twisted her until he pinned her to the wall, towering over her. He'd just intimidate or fluster her to drop this; it was a surefire technique every time.

A technique she was well accustomed to now, it seemed.

"I'm not backing down like this anymore," she whispered, but her throat took on a rosier hue and there was a magnetic bashfulness glowing in her eyes. He propped his hands on each side of her head as he leaned down, his face hovering inches away, and stole quick looks around to see that they were truly alone in this dark alleyway.

Electricity tingled under his skin when she flattened her hands against his chest, the bullet swinging between them. She stared at it, then hooked a finger on the chain and twisted it, tugging him _closer_ as her chest puffed in bravado. "Tell me why, Gat. It can't be any harder than all the things you've already told me."

All the things...

Chris'sakes, she knew too much about him. She was dangerous for that alone. She could easily use all that information against him if she really wanted to hurt him or make his life miserable; so it had to count for something that she _wasn't_ doing that, right? She couldn't have the upper hand here, though, or at least think that way even if she did. Gat decided to turn the tables.

"How much is that information worth to you? Are you willing to pay?"

"Caps?" Piper deadpanned. "Now? Seriously?"

"Nah, luv," he chuckled huskily, bending closer. "Somethin' worth more than that. Kisses."

Little hands pushed him away enough for her to slip underneath his arms, and she huffed as she sauntered a few steps away from him. "I'm not bribing you for what you want to _say._"

"Where'd ya get that idea? Reckon that's just a bluff, innit?"

"I'm sure you've got the answer to that." Piper threw a smug smile over her shoulder, and it stirred something inside of him. The way the moonlight danced on her, the dim lights and lanterns guiding them to Diamond City as the back drop... He _needed_ to have her. He needed to taste her, to see how good goodie two-shoes was inside. He limped and hopped to catch up to her, grabbing her hand before she walked away without him, and she yelped when he spun her back against him.

"I'm not bribing you for what you want to _do,_" he husked, a hand slipping under the curve of her jaw with the utmost care, afraid he'd break her. She'd been through enough. "I was looking at you like that because I thought of you ganging up on me with my niece, both of you shootin' puppy eyes to get what ya want from me." He rested their foreheads together and closed his eyes, trying to imagine it all. "She means the world to me, Boss, and it... I don't know. You and her? Or your little sis playin' with her. I never would let anyone close to her, and then I thought of that. I don't get it."

"Are you scared?"

Pride screamed that he wasn't, but honesty confessed the quietest, "_yes._" Gat chewed on his tongue, wondering if he should tell Piper of how his niece thought of him; what for? They'd never meet. He'd make sure of that. "Everything 'bout you don't make sense t'me, and even when I tell myself it'll never happen, or not to trust you, or to get away from you, or fuckin' _everything _that's the opposite of what I've been doing... I can't stop thinking 'bout you, and kissin' you, and I'm worried you'll shoot me in the bloody cock if I try again. I just need to know I _can__. _Not now, even, just... Someday."

Arms hooked around his neck, and his heart kicked when her chest pressed against his. Her breaths teased his lips, shaky and quick, and he opened his eyes to see if she was playing cruel tricks on him or not. "If this is just to tease me, luv-"

"It's not." Piper watched him back with a shy hunger in her eyes, worrying her lip whenever her gaze fell to his mouth. "You don't make sense to me either. You drive me crazy every single second of the day. I want to kiss you and I want to push you off a cliff in the same minute, then run down to catch you." She swiftly stuck a hand between them when he came closer, flustered. "I-I can't. Not yet."

"Piper," Gat groaned, "ya _just_ said this isn't to tease me, and y'just said y'do wanna kiss me. That says everything, don'it?"

"I know, but-"

"How about your neck? Can I kiss that? Y'won't hafta do or say anything, if that's what yer nervous about. Just relax and enjoy. Let me take the lead, for once." His hands ran down to hold her by the hips, and he nudged her jaw away with his nose, hovering over her throat as he waited for an answer. He was usually a patient man; it just came with the territory of sniping and hunting, but this?

_This_ was the most excruciating wait of his life.

Gat listened to her breathing, hitting the shell of his ear in rapid puffs, and decided to kiss her neck when she never answered him. She'd say _no_ if she didn't want to, right? Fingers snaked into the back of his hair, and he suckled a patch of skin between his teeth. A hiss was viciously repressed in the back of her throat. That wouldn't do. She tasted of salt and dried tears and sticky sweat, a slight musk coming off of her. When she pulled his head closer, he took that as her shy admission, _permission. _The finger hooked on his necklace pulled, and he gently grabbed her wrist to ward it off before she broke the old chain. He pinned her hand to the wall and intertwined his fingers with hers, smiling against her neck when her breath hitched noisily.

Pride was stoked with every little timid sound he forced out of her, no matter how hard she tried to stay quiet. He'd give her an _actual_ reason to hum about. His other hand worked off the bottom buttons of her jacket and snuck under her shirt, careful not to squeeze her ribs. His thumb hooked under the curve of her breast and swept across, brushing the bruise as light as possible, and soon enough her breathing had grown ragged against his ear.

Then she caught him off guard.

"_Your name,_" she breathed breathlessly, "_give me that much for this, at least._"

It was a small price to pay, but for some reason, it seemed a daunting leap to take. He pulled away to look at her in her dazed eyes, pupils dilated. She gave him an annoyed look, as if internally cussing at him for stopping. He'd hoped that was what it was for, anyways. "Why? Why d'ya wanna get that personal with me when y'still dunno if ya hate me or not?"

"Because I don't want a _gun_ kissing me, Gat. I don't want the mercenary. I want the you that's hiding, the you that you've let me see sometimes. I want a name for that man."

"And if Gat's my name?"

"I know it's not," Piper rolled her eyes, squeezing her fingers against his as hard as possible. "If you want to keep kissing me, I want your name. It's only fair. You know mine."

He hid his face in her neck. It had been a long time since he'd ever said or heard his own name; like, was it even his name anymore? It was going to sound weird once she made it _real_ again. Another gentle squeeze of her fingers was enough to chip away the last of his resistance to make her just as real to him.

"Garrett Butler, also known as: Mr. Always Right."

He felt something warm and soft against his temple, and when it _curled,_ he knew she was smiling. She cupped his jaw, guiding him to look up at her.

And kissed him.

Smoke and sugar laced his mouth, and he seized the opportunity to slip his tongue in hers to taste her; it made him crave cigarettes, but more importantly, _taught_ him just how far her addiction for sweets ran too. She made it impossible for him not to smile. When he grinned, she pulled away and narrowed her eyes. "This better not be another smartass comment locked and loaded in that thick skull of yours." She finger-quoted in the air, enticing him with her sass alone. "Mr. 'Always' Right."

"Wouldn't dream of it, luv. Even I ain't that daft to ruin a moment like this. Just... _Happy._" Gat let go of her hand and dropped the one from her shirt, framing her jawline to solder her in place. He wouldn't let her slip out from underneath him this time. Her cheeks were warm to the touch, as expected; he didn't need no sunlight or moonlight or flashlight to see her face likely looked like a tato right now. That was fine. Maybe she only kissed him because she was comfortable with him not seeing her.

Their teeth bumped, and he chuckled in her mouth. He caught and swallowed a timid apology when she'd done it again, and angled his head even more, biting her bottom lip until he forcibly drew a gasp. It ignited desire in the pits of his belly and he was honestly _shocked_ when her fingers hooked on his waistband, tugging him roughly.

Was he really surprised? He saw what she was truly made of in the warehouse, and during their drinking competition too; from what little he remembered of it anyways. She was a badass lass with a good heart, a goodie two-shoes veneer that polished and hid the bad girl underneath. With a little encouragement, empowerment, maybe she'd eventually grow comfortable with that part of her. She was off to a good start already; he hissed when she paid him back the favor and bit his lip, growing more aggressive.

Gat **had** to pull away.

"Wha...? Hey! What are you doing, Garrett?"

Garrett. _Garrett._ She said it so easily, so naturally, as if it wasn't the first time. It better not be the last, either.

"I hafta," he held his hands out as he hobbled back, shaking his head when she tried to come closer. "No, no, no, luv. I have to, or I'm taking you right here in the alleyway."

Restraint. Discipline. He couldn't. He _wouldn't._ He refused to be the kind of man his pa was, devil curse his soul; that man was satan in the flesh.

"Taking me _where, _Garrett? We're already in the alleyway."

Jesus, was she really asking this question? Just how little experience did she have with men? How could he hint this in a way where she wouldn't shoot him in the bloody cock for being so blunt and crude about it? There was a _reason_ he was. It made for less misunderstandings and got his point across faster than this.

"No, taking _you,_" he repeated gruffly, knowing there was no avoiding the impending answer if he'd screwed himself over by piquing her curiosity with vague ones. He turned around and stole a quick look down, _King Arthur_ standing at attention. Good thing it was dark enough outside to not draw any attention to the mini-butler. He groaned when she came up his side with a worried look.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Piper, _definitely_ not." Saying her name was getting easier too. "Y'did everythin' right. Even the bumps like we're warrin' with teeth is fun." He twisted away, but he had zero ideas on how to get out of this. Not when most of his brain was fueling him with ideas of how to get into _her._ "Yer playin' true to your name, yeah? Wright, you are."

"Uh... You're losing me now, Gat." No. Why Gat? Garrett sounded so much better with her voice. "What's wrong, then?" Her tender touch on his shoulder set his skin on fire, burning him like never before. She'd just dragged his arse for who knew how many kilometers, and now it was if her hand was imbued with some kind of fucking magic or chemical that hardwired his skin directly to his goddamn cock.

"Just give me a minute by myself, luv?" He quickly turned so that he could push her to face away from him, shoving her a little. Gat was ready to cuss to the fucking world when she shot him an indignant look and put on the brakes, her heels scraping the ground in resistance. "Chris'sakes. Just a minute, okay? This ain't somethin' you actually want the answer to. _Please?_ Manners, and all that shite y'get off on." Just like how he _wouldn't_ be getting off if she didn't give him some god damn privacy. Why couldn't she just trust him that he was doing this with her greatest interests in mind? He reckoned she wouldn't be willing to stay for a _show._

Not yet.

"No, Gat. Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, I promise. Y'won't like my answer."

"Oh, yeah, of course I'm going to believe nothing's wrong, now."

Someone shoot him in the bloody mouth already.

"Shouldn't ya be sayin' _what's new,_ or somethin' like that? Like: when do ya ever like my answers?"

"...It _is_ a rare occurrence." Her and her fancy words. "But it's just as rare for you to push me away when you'd rather pull me closer."

"Also true," he blurted, and he knew he was screwed when she whirled around with a triumphant look. Then her gaze dropped.

Moonlight or no, he was fairly certain it was not the clouds' fault for how dark her complexion became. Well, there went that, then. Mystery solved. Curiosity sated. There was no saving her pretty face now; all that blood in her head couldn't'uv been healthy, though. He turned her away and shoved her, thankful she'd finally been propelled forward, her feet carrying on the momentum while her brain was probably melting from her blush.

"Just need a minute or two, that's all. Got me real worked up so it won't take long. Go 'round the corner and for the love of god, _don't listen._"

Piper never answered, but practically _charged_ out of the alleyway. He laughed when he heard her hiss. "Oh my god, Garrett! I can't believe you!"

**x - x - x**

Civilization. That was nice. She liked that. It would preoccupy her mind with the hustle and bustle of the city rather than sinful thoughts and a grinning mercenary; except she was _locked out_ of civilization, trapped with said grinning mercenary who had a friendly reunion with his hand. Now she was alone with him in the night. And she had ideas. Ideas she couldn't find it in herself if she _wanted_ to stop thinking about them.

This seriously wasn't the freaking time or place, not when there was a very real threat in front of her just as well as _behind_ her.

"What do you mean you can't open the gate?! Stop playing around Danny, I'm standing out here in the open for crying out loud!"

"Great," Gat sighed, "my boss is broke _and_ homeless now..."

Piper thrust a finger at him and shot a silent warning through her eyes: _'not one fucking word out of you.'_

This was one of those times he _really_ needed to shut up, before he ruined what little good was sparked between them in the alleyway. She turned back to the intercom, ready to tear the stupid speaker right out or steal Gat's duffle bag and use every single stupid gun until the stupid machine sparked in flames. The idea was honestly considered when he limped over and put the bag down beside her feet, as if he read her mind.

Maybe there was some merit in his mind-reading skills after all.

Gat slammed his fist down on the intercom, bending at the hips to get right up to the speaker. What the hell did he think that was going to do?

"Oi, let us in!" His voice escalated several volumes higher, making even her cringe; she could only imagine how loud it must have been with the speaker amplifying it inside. She swore she could actually hear it echo. "If you don't, there's going to be a big bloody _problem_ for your guards out here!"

"What the heck?!" Piper hissed, punching his shoulder. "Don't threaten them, are you insane? They'll never let me in now!"

Gat snarled and bared his teeth, slamming his fist down on the intercom again. She grabbed his wrist to try and leash the animal before he got out of control; leave it to him to think that intimidating and threatening would work everywhere in the Commonwealth. He clearly hadn't spent much time in settlements and cities, probably drunk off the power of thinking that Gunners ruled everything.

Turrets revved up behind them, and they both froze. Piper broke out in a cold sweat and laughed nervously. "H-he was just kidding Danny! He thinks he's funny that way..." She stomped her foot on Gat's when he opened his mouth, glowering and exaggeratedly blinking her eyes at him. He had his moments of being smart, but then he ruined it with times like this. So much for being Mr. Always Right. Smartass.

Distant gunshots echoed outside the makeshift guard towers, and Piper pinches him when his hand reached for the gun stuffed in his waistband. All it took was one misunderstanding, one action misconstrued for something else, and moonlight would be showing through the bullet holes riddling their bodies. She shook her head sternly when he cast her a confused look.

"Some joke," Danny deadpanned through the speaker. "Tell your friend-"

Gat was **not** her friend.

...So what was he to her, anymore?

"-that if he doesn't keep that gun and mouth holstered, 'big bloody problems' are going to happen for him instead."

Great. A pissing contest between two men,_ exactly_ what she needed right now.

Piper smacked her hand over Gat's mouth, ignoring his heavy stubble and wet lips. She nodded as if she could even be seen. "Got it! Can you let us in now?"

"No. I got orders, Piper, I'm just doing my job."

That popped a fuse.

Gat slammed his fist down on the intercom again and Piper tried to stop him, while keeping her hand over his mouth. His stubble scratched her fingers and sent itchy tingles down, irritating her further when he fought her back. Before they knew it, they were engaged and deeply invested in tom-foolery, ignoring the strange looks the other guards gave them as they wrestled for the throne. When her wrists were pinned above her head, she struggled to keep the warmth from blazing up her throat and consume her face.

Fortunately, Gat was a little preoccupied to care for their compromising position.

Unfortunately, he took out his gun and aimed it out to the side.

Within seconds, all the guards were on them. Series of safeties clicked off at every angle, and Piper bit her tongue before she exploded in anger. The patient saintly side of her miraculously gave Gat the benefit of the doubt, simply because of _where_ he pointed his gun didn't make sense. If it were up to her, and without worry of severe consequences, she'd shoot the intercom. Instead, he aimed in the direction of the makeshift tower at one of the gates.

"Show's over; come out, shitwit." Gat growled roughly, totally unperturbed by the rifles zoning in on him. Piper tried to shimmy her way out his grip, stopping when a stranger with a cowboy hat passed through the gate.

Could this night get any weirder?

"Let her go," Cowboy ordered, aiming his laser rifle at Gat. "This doesn't have to end in bloodshed."

"_I called it, just takes one misunderstanding..._" Piper sighed under her breath, ignoring the puzzled look Gat gave her. She shook her head and raised her voice to try and take control, to tame the chaos before all hell broke loose. "It's alright, he's with me!"

Everybody exchanged skeptical glances.

Piper groaned. "Gat, lemme go before your hothead rolls off your shoulders. Nobody's going to believe me with you..." She bit her lip, looking up at his hand neatly clasped around both her wrists. It didn't hurt. But it gave _ideas,_ and her cheeks warmed for the umpteenth time. "...Holding me like this."

His gaze and gun never strayed from Cowboy, but the corner of his lips curled in a subtle smirk. "You mean _pinning,_ luv."

"S-shut up and let me go," she hissed, looking in the opposite direction as she swallowed her blush down. She was released and stepped closer to him, dropping her voice as she angled her head so that Gat blocked her mouth from the others, while he could still hear her. "I've got an idea, a way in. Play nice with the cowboy, Mr. _Always_ Right_._"

"Ain't playin' nice with nobody but you, Ms. Wright." Wasn't that a surprise?

Well... Maybe not anymore.

"Somethin' 'bout that twat ain't rub me right."

"Nobody does," she teased lightheartedly. But... She could see where Gat was coming from. Did he _have_ to say 'rub', though?

When the guards lowered their rifles and the cowboy walked over, her gut feeling warned her of something. There would be time to figure it out later. For now? She had a way in the city. She put on her best charming smile as she head over to the cowboy, zipping through her introduction to get to the heart of the matter before the chance slipped away. "Sorry about that misunderstanding there; nice to meet you. You want in to the city, right?"

"Uh..." Cowboy's eyebrows furrowed, baffled, but as soon as he nodded, she took his hand and tugged him over to the intercom. She dismissed whatever Gat muttered under his breath, probably doubting whatever plan she cooked up now. She would show him. Not every battle had to be won through threats and bullets.

Piper threw a cocky smirk over her shoulder, hoping Gat could read the message in her eyes. _'Watch and learn.'_

Intercom engaged, she put on her best act. "Wh-what's that? You said you're a trader up from Quincy...?"

**x - x - x**

"I still can't believe that worked." Gat chuckled when Piper pivoted on her feet and flashed him a peace sign. She had it arseways. She should turn her hand around and show him the back of those little fingers, then she'd get the right message._ 'Fuck you, up yours.'_

"Your boss isn't homeless anymore," she quipped cheekily.

"Heh. Still broke, though." A jab that slipped out his mouth before he could think against it, but surprisingly enough, Piper just shrugged and beamed a confident smile.

"Not for long, you'll see! We should have all the caps you need after we collect the last bounties, but first! Let's get you to Dr. Sun, I know where he lives." Of course she did. And she called _him_ a creep? "Hey, can I get your opinion on something?" This was a first. Usually she'd tell him to keep his opinions to himself. "What was your take on that cowboy guy?" Piper whirled around and clasped her wrists behind her, a little bounce in her stride. "He's got to be a vault dweller. Did you see that pip-boy?"

He saw her grabbing that twat's hand was what he saw.

"There's a story with that one," she spun back around, her mood significantly boosted. Was it seriously because of that fucking knob-jockey? "I can't wait to hear it; I hope he drops by the office tomorrow. There's so many questions I want to ask a vault dweller, like how do they even make ends meet? Supplies have to be dwindling, or the vaults are _massive_ to prepare for 200 years. Maybe he's from Vault 81? They trade. Or maybe there are other vaults out there that just trade with smaller settlements and keep it all under wraps, like the Covenant." Does her brain ever take a breath? "Or-"

"Boss." Gat hobbled up to her and took her hand, determined to rub away anything the Cowboy _defiled._ "Can we go to your place real quick?"

"Huh?" Piper's eyes fell to his hand instead of rising to meet his gaze, and she nodded absentmindedly. "Uh, yeah... But the doctor-"

"Can wait. I need to get somethin' from your place." He all but dragged her to the office and patted her down _for_ her for the keys. He kept his hands away from her rump, not so much out of respect as it was to save _himself_ from getting chummy with his hand again. "C'mon, where are they? Open up your door already."

Piper knocked on the door instead and called out. "Nat? Can you come open the door for me please? I lost my keys."

Oh.

Oh, _fuck._

How did he forget about her little sister?

Without any further explanation, he grabbed Piper's wrist and started to drag her again as he yelled over his shoulder. "Don't worry, kiddo! We're going to the doctor first, your big sis is bein' a baby!" He ignored her protests and pulled her around the _back_ of her home, then pinned her hips to the humble shack. He silenced her and possessively claimed her mouth, glaring daggers when a security officer had stopped his patrol to stare at them. Gat moved until he _shielded_ Piper with his body and waited until the guard left before he stole her lips again.

"My opinion? I didn't like how he looked at you," he admitted between kisses, intertwining his fingers in both her hands to rise above and pin to the sides of her head. "I didn't like how you took his hand, or how you invited him to your place." Especially when she did everything to keep Gat away. Which he understood. _But still._ "That's my opinion on that wanker." He wedged his good leg between hers as he dipped under her jaw and dropped their hands to their hips, sucking on the crook of her nape until he _almost _drew a gasp, though she muffled it against his shoulder.

"G-Garrett," Piper whispered, nails biting between his knuckles. "Someone can-"

"I didn't like thinking 'bout him doin' this to ya in an alleyway or yer home, instead of me. I fuckin' _hated_ those thoughts so much I thought I'd shoot his face off right fuckin' there. There ain't no goddamn story with him, luv. Don't chase him for one. _Please._" Or else this bleeding heart was going to get sucked into another sob story. That was his take on the emptiness in Cowboy's dead eyes. "I told ya, didn't I? I'm a man that'll do _whatever the fuck it takes_ to protect what's his."

"Who said I'm yours?" Piper huffed, chest puffing. "I'm not an object to be owned. One kiss, and now I belong to you? What's next, I can't invite anyone to _my_ office?"

"How would you feel if some random woman was all over me? Should we go to the bar and find out, see how you feel when you start thinkin' of her fucking me?" Gat pulled away and stared at her hard in the eyes, their noses brushing. That passion alight in her gaze was far more seductive than she probably wagered, and the bonfire in her was stoked; but instead of playing with fire, he was burned.

"Fine, let's go. See how much I care about a guy who just treats me like I'm some sort of possession and tells me what I can or can't do; especially when all he cares about is sex."

"I don't care about sex, I care about _you._" He grabbed her hand before she walked away from him and her gaze cut into him. "I'm tryin' to say how I feel here. I thought you'd appreciate that, always huntin' the truth and shite; what, if it's the truth y'ain't wanna hear, it don't count? If I'm worried-"

"Worried about what? That I'll be swept away by some stranger, after everything we've been through? That's what you're spitting on, Gat. You're not worried. You're jealous. You don't _trust_ me. You think a kiss is all it will take to keep me, but this is what's kept me here this whole time, before today." The bottom of her fist connected with his chest, catching the bullet that dangled. "_This._ Not your gun. Not your head. Definitely not your mouth. _This._" She tapped again. "You've trusted me with your life and sacrificed..." She frowned, a haunted look glossing over her eyes as she shuddered. He knew what she was eluding to. "Your body for me... But you can't trust me with your heart. How does that make sense to you?"

Heart. It was such a bizarre idea, a crazy word, and yet she could say it so easily.

Piper grabbed the bullet and held it up to his face.

"You've trusted me with this too. Whether you want to admit it or not, this is your heart right here; and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told you on day one over and over again until you finally get it through that thick skull of yours. Having a heart isn't _weak._"

"It is when it can be used against you."

"And it takes strength to overcome that fear even if it can be used against you, because fear isn't a weakness either. It helps you find out how you can grow stronger as well as kinder." How the hell did she always have to have such a quick and witty answer to everything? "Do you think I'm not scared of the same thing, Garrett? Have you read the things I've published? There is not a day that goes by where I don't worry about my little sister being punished for the things that I'm saying and doing."

Yeah. It was plain stupidity, what she was doing. And somehow he found himself understanding her. She stood up for what she believed in, and he respected that. Many didn't. But... "That's why you have a target painted on your back, why you've been kidnapped twice now. You tellin' me you're still gonna piss off the wasteland? For what? Ain't no one gonna think twice to look for ya _if_ they even notice you're missing, if nobody picks up a gun to find their own family. You won't persuade anyone to take action. Nothing is gonna change. Nobody is gonna care."

For some reason, she smiled.

"I made _you_ care, didn't I?"

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because..." He groped for words that didn't exist, and he looked down the alleyway as he mumbled. "Because I just wanted to kiss you again."

"Why?"

These one-word questions were _killing _him.

"Because I did."

"Because you care."

"Because I _don't._"

"I fail to see how this is helping you right now, Garrett," she laughed. "I actually like it when you think you're _so~_ smart, and then the dumbest thing comes out your mouth."

Well, he had a solution to that. "There's somethin' else you like comin' out of my mouth." He clasped her wrist against his chest as he leaned down, kissing her slowly, tasting her growing smile. She bit his lip ever so softly, a by-and-large contrast to the hot and heady rush that consumed them earlier. He liked it. It was so _her,_ just like the cigarettes and sugar bombs, the rough and the tender. Hers was the only example he had to follow, the proof that both sides of a cap could exist at once.

That wasn't to say he'd turn into a bleeding heart like her; someone had to keep her temper tempered and her head on her shoulders. He only cared about his needs... And now hers. If she wasn't going to start being selfish and look out for herself as #1, then he'd be selfish for her. It was the only possible way to survive in this decrepit wasteland.

But he'd fight like hell to make sure her bleeding heart would survive too.

Kiss broken, Piper gently pushed him away by his chest. Shadows played on her face, half of it shrouded; there was dark and light in her. The part of the smirk he could see clearly had curled alluringly, mischievously, sucking him in before he could even think to resist temptation. Not that he'd ever. He was a sinner through and through.

And it gave him a _naughty_ idea.

"We should go to the church here; at night, though, when nobody else is there."

"W-what?!" Piper's laughter burst out of her and he slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her, grinning with pride even when she hugged her battered ribs and hissed _ow's_ in between the chuckles that bubbled in her chest. "Where the heck did that come from, Garrett? There is _no_ way you're going to convince me that you're some sort of faithful church-goer."

"Nah. That's not me, luv, but you will be. You're gonna be in the right place when you start praying."

"Uh...? I don't pray either." He didn't think that she did, and he didn't know if he could _handle_ that if she did. "And what do you mean by the 'right place'? Do I want to know?"

Hook, line, and sinker; curiosity was going to be the death of her innocence. She bluffed earlier that this 'technique' wasn't going to work on her anymore. He was going to prove Ms. Wright wrong and show there was a reason he was going to be Mr. Always Right from now on. At least, he hoped what he was about to do was just a case where she'd never be able to admit she liked it, and not something that turned her off so much that she despised his vulgarity enough to shoot him in the bloody cock. Only one way to find out. He finally knew how he'd get his _point_ across just as fast, at least.

Gat cupped her chin and trailed feather-light kisses across her warm cheekbone, whispering a sinful promise in her ear.

"For when I _take_ you and make you scream _oh my god, Garrett._"

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Random fact, the appearance of the SS was actually chapter 4 in the original story (I didn't take my sweet time then as I do now). The scene in this chapter had just a few changes made to reflect the growing relationship between Piper & Gat, while still staying true to Gat's possessive streak and Piper's fierce independence. I see her as someone who would be so sweet she gives you cavities, but never as a woman who would roll over just because 'love', and isn't afraid to give you her honest opinion or call you out on your bullshit. Which Gat is obviously full of :P  
_

_Anyways, hope you enjoyed and see you in the next chapter, cheers!_


	14. Two Meanings

**_Chapter 14: Two Meanings_**

* * *

Piper was not emotionally prepared for the betrayal in Nat's eyes, and it struck _hard_ in the heart. Wasn't Piper suffering enough right now? Nat opened the door, bleary-eyed and hair sticking out in all sorts of amusing angles. Piper bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling, and took her little sister as seriously as she could.

"What the heck, Piper? I got school in a couple hours and I coulda slept in. Couldn'tcha have gone to eat noodles or something?"

"This is why you're the best sister in the world." Piper bent down and gave a noisy kiss on the cheek, chuckling when Nat groaned in disgust. Piper pushed her way inside and hastily locked the door, refusing to meet the eyes and grin of the _madman_ who leaned against the church. He could sleep there tonight; he asked for it. It bothered and truly worried her that he wasn't taking care of his injuries though.

Wait! _No._ He defined the devil, and it wasn't just an analogy anymore. Let him suffer the way he made her suffer.

Piper rushed up the stairs as she shouted over her shoulder. "Thanks, doll!"

"Yeah, yeah... You owe me for this, and you better get a new key today! You're not keeping mine any longer than that."

"No, of course not," Piper rolled her eyes. Who did that little runt think she was, bossing her older sister around?

Guess it ran in their family.

_"Boss."_

_Ugh._

"Now go to sleep!" Piper smiled when she heard bare feet slap the ground back to Nat's room, grumbling all the way. "What's that? Did ya say you wanna go to school early?"

Nat's grumbling ceased immediately; worked like a charm every time.

Piper laced her fingers and pushed her palms outwards, cracking her knuckles as she sat down at her desk. She just needed to get a few notes down about _Blue_ before she went to catch up on a few hours of sleep herself. She took a longing look at her bed; oh how _sweet_ the reunion will be, having a love affair with her pillow once again.

Tingles stirred in the pits of her belly when her treacherous mind injected Garrett in her daydream, hogging _her_ bed. There was no doubt he would if she let him stay here. He would probably even kick her to the couch.

Warmth flushed at her nose when disappointment gnarled her guts at that thought. She flicked the computer switch and sat down as quietly as a creaky chair and floor could, not paying any mind to the complaints below her. She tried to refocus her mind on her notes, repeating what she had wanted to write as she waited for her computer to boot up. Her mind wouldn't stop wandering, and she found herself gaping at her bed like it was some sort of feast to salivate at; like a certain shirtless man.

_"Garrett Butler."_

Right, because she really needed help and her mind just _had_ to weave his voice into every single thought... And idea. Idea**s**. The computer was switched off and she ungracefully flopped on her bed, crushing her pillow with her face as she fought valiantly to resist the urge to scream, even if it would be muffled. Her bed creaked incessantly and she was sure Nat was going to choke her in her sleep; but she had an even bigger problem than that right now.

_"Garrett Butler."_

How could she be this happy over a name? Well, because she finally knew what to call him, what to say. And her imagination took a turn for the worst. All she could see within her mind's eye was his grin, so cocky and certain she'd like it. Filthy words, all and _only_ his, took charge, and she felt stuffy and restricted in her jacket. She shimmied about to strip everything off and set her hat on her drawer, slipping under the sheets in her underwear as she curled in a ball and tried to think of anything but his sinful promises.

_"For when I take you and make you scream oh my god, Garrett."_

And failed. Or succeeded. It was hard to tell what the hell she even wanted anymore now, and her pelvis shifted with a mind of it's own. The tingles grew into an _ache,_ and she honestly felt dirty that she struggled this way with her little sister right beneath her. Fuck that wretched man, _or rather don't,_ for doing this to her.

He knew he'd torment her this way, didn't he?

This was all his fault. Every part of it. This was just him giving her ideas, not her making these ideas up herself. She hugged her pillow tight to her chest, a stray thought _missing_ the weight of an arm wrapped around her waist, a warm body tucked close and conformed to hers. The images in her mind's eye flashed by too quickly to grasp, and she flushed hot when she'd pictured them in the alleyway.

Anyone could have seen them, anyone could have _shot_ them, and yet right in that moment it felt so right to kiss him. If only he didn't stop.

God, what was she thinking?

_"No, no, no, luv. I have to, or I'm taking you right here in the alleyway."_

Dull throbs ebbed between her legs, and she turned her face into the pillow as she stuck her hand under her leg and squished it. She would beat this. She would not cave in. She would, in fact, go to sleep instead. She would not have any dreams about the devil. She knew she would, or she _hoped_ she would. Wait, no, she couldn't be bested like this. _He would not_ _win._ But as time passed, her relentless imagination gave no quarter and she slowly rolled on her back.

Something caught her eye. She looked over at all the sugar bombs and deviled eggs hidden behind her drawer, and her eyes widened. Her green scarf. It drilled the question into her brain; the one she _never_ asked. Garrett never wore it, and she didn't remember seeing it in his duffel bag. When had he given this back to her? _Why?_

Piper rolled out and snatched it, then hid under the sheets as if to hide away from the man who couldn't even see her. Well, she didn't put nothing past that guy. There could be a hole drilled in her wall to watch her. She conveniently ignored the part where he'd have to be on the _roof_ for that, but when there was a will, that sadistic man found a way. She lovingly _pet_ her scarf as her mind raced to piece the puzzle of her memory together.

This wasn't here when she came home from their night out at the Dugout; and he wouldn't have been here that night if he was with her at the bar until they passed out in the room there. Then again, both their memories were fuzzy. The only time he could've been here was...

...Was when he dropped her off here after their fight about the _farmer._

Was this his apology, then? This, and the large cap sack he gave her the morning thereafter; and he fixed her press machine too...

_"I'm not sayin' sorry because that'd be a lie, should only say it when y'mean it."_

_Ugh!_ This was driving her crazy. Why else had he done the things he had, back then? She was so sure she had him pegged the entire time, missing all the hints of the man he truly was inside. He wasn't hiding. She just wasn't _reading. _He reached out to her in other ways, through action. When had he noticed he started to care for her beyond the promised job? When had she?

All of this was making her head hurt; she was too damn exhausted to sniff out every answer to every question. She brought the scarf to her nose, closing her eyes. It still smelled like him. She should've been angry, or disgusted, or all the things she thought she'd be and do. It made her _miss_ him instead.

Would it be wrong to make her sister go to school a little earlier?

Yes it would. It very much would. Piper had to hold on to that, hold on to her _moral compass,_ and just pray the next two hours would go by in a flash.

It didn't.

Because _why would it._

Life was great.

Piper held her scarf close to her chest, like how someone held a bullet close to his, and gave in to every thought, every idea. She missed him, and she wanted his touch, and she needed to kiss him, and it _killed_ her knowing he was just outside her door. She viciously repressed a groan as she tore the sheets down, the dim light illuminating her bruised torso. She ran a gentle hand along her ribs, vividly remembering how his thumb had swept under the curve of her breast, and the electricity that surged down her from the simple act alone.

If he could make her feel that much with that little, just what would _that_ feel like with him?

There was no sleeping or praying this away. _Praying. _God, that devil made the blue sky blush and tainted the most innocent words; a few more days, and her entire vocabulary would likely have vulgar connotations of some sort. Piper bit the bullet and rolled out of bed, ignoring the thud below the floor. She smirked when she heard a quiet _ow._

"That's what you get for throwing things!" Piper taunted, laughing when Nat muffled her frustrated scream in her pillow. "I'm heading out, I'm gonna see if old man Erik won't mind making our keys, and then I'll drop yours off to you at school."

"I don't even care anymore." Poor Nat, sounding like she had given up on life. Another dull thud. Another _ow._

"How many times are you gonna do that before you learn?" Piper went through her drawer for clean clothes, chuckling when her little sister answered her with another object thrown. She didn't want to learn, evidently. "I'll bring you noodles for lunch when I give you your key." The thudding stopped. Piper could totally picture a light in her sister's eyes, and she smirked victoriously. "That's right. Who's the best sister in the world?"

"I am! Or you wouldn't be grovelin' at my feet like this."

Piper laughed. "Brat." She hid her hat and scarf in her dresser, tied Garrett's gifted cap sack to her belt, and slung her jacket over her arm. Maybe Doctor Duff would know how to get all these stains out of it; good thing her jacket was red, because there must've been five different peoples' blood on it. A shudder rolled through her and she cast the thought out of her mind, skipping down the stairs as she stuck out her tongue at Nat when the little girl whipped up into sitting to glare. "I'm going, I'm going! Where's your key?"

"Left it on the washer for ya."

"Thanks, Nat. Do your best in school today!"

"Yeah, yeah..."

There was almost no enthusiasm. Piper kept her comments to herself, like how Nat should appreciate that she was getting formal education at all. It made her wonder about something new with Garrett; he mentioned books before, so that meant he knew how to read. Who taught him? She got the sense his dad didn't. Mom seemed to be _out of the picture, _like hers, but all she knew so far of his family was his niece; that meant someone had to be watching over her, unless she was old enough to take care of herself.

Maybe, just maybe, if Garrett stopped making everything sexual between them, then she'd sit down with him and get a proper story out of him... If he was finally at the point where he felt comfortable talking to her about it all anyways. She steeled herself and took a deep breath before she left her home and locked up; she'd have to ask him if he wouldn't mind guarding her home after Nat left, unless Erik finished the keys before then. Doubtful.

Garrett was nowhere to be found, though. A part of her was disappointed, and that _large _part was squashed when she focused on the _tiny_ part that was curious instead. She looked around and spotted the shirtless _bully_ on the elevator going up to the Mayor's office; probably to collect their bounties. He never wasted any time when it came to money.

Guilt needled her heart. She should've suspected the urgency behind his need when he never indulged in anything more than cigarettes, bullets and beers. All _necessities _of daily living. This time she'd get it right, though, if he'd let her anyways. She worried her lip as she watched him step off the elevator; they should be close to collecting the amount he needed. What was going to happen after their _contract_ was completed? Would they part ways so that he could find a better paying job, maybe even return to the gunners?

All questions she wished her brain wouldn't concoct and torture her with.

Piper sighed and went on the move to Erik's house. The sooner she could get her own agenda cleared, the sooner she could catch up with Garrett and make sure he actually saw Dr. Sun; there wasn't any doubt in her mind that he would sooner avoid the good doctor at all costs. She smiled at that. The man drove her absolutely crazy, yes, but there was one fact she couldn't ever hope to deny. Nor wouldn't.

Life would be boring without him. She didn't want to go back to sleep walking through each day anymore.

**x - x - x**

Music was the song caps sang as they clicked and clacked against his belt; especially when there were multiple pouches. Gat was as happy as could be, and it made all the aches and pains hurt just a little bit less. He leaned against the railing of the elevator as it began it's slow descent down, reminding him of feeling the refreshing breeze whenever he'd go up to his own safehouse, his humble slice of broken bridge.

Maybe after he sent the shipment of caps, he could invite Piper there and surprise her with his other nifty toys. He reckoned she'd enjoy meeting the _man_ who raised him too.

Morning life in the city was surprisingly quiet, save for the farmers all the way at the other end of the fields. He watched merchants open up shop and prepare their wares, but what made him truly miss his bridge was the sunrise; he made a mental note to surprise Piper that way and have a few cold stouts ready just to make an already-perfect moment even _better._

That, and of course stealing a kiss from her went without saying.

Gat smiled and closed his eyes, focusing on breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. He had things he needed to square away before he caught up with her and he couldn't afford any more distracting _reunions_ with his hand. The second the elevator landed and the gate creaked, he wasted no time and limped to the marketplace. He looked around and headed to Arturo first, who was turned away to unpack a crate, and tapped the counter to announce his presence.

"Mornin' mate, any chance y'know where I could go to get fresh clothes?" He grunted as he slung his duffelbag off and rested it on the workbench, untying one of the cap sacks. "And mind if I borrow your bench and tools for a little bit? Need to replace a broken scope."

"No problem, free of charge! I can also bring out what I have in stock for scopes. Becky sells clothes in her basement, right around the corner there and down the stairs."

"Thanks, mate. What kind of scopes do you have?" Gat propped the cap sack on the counter and waited until Arturo hoisted a small crate open, sifting through the options.

"These are my best two, just bought them off a scavenger yesterday. They're expensive though." Arturo eyed the caps, then at Gat, who imposed a threatening posture so that the merchant wouldn't get any _ideas_ about what he decided to charge. Gat innocently slicked a hand through his hair to make sure his growing bangs left his gunner tattoo exposed. "Ah, I think this one will be your best bet; it has fully adjustable knobs which makes operating it easy and quick, and it's clearly very durable, as you can tell."

Gat played with the rear knurled section, rotating it to see what it's eye relief could do. He looked through the lense and jumped the zoom from 50 to 150 yards, smiling. "Crisp, no distortion." He lifted his gaze to the nervous merchant. "Green reticle is a nice touch, but there's a crack beside the reticle."

"I'll take off 50 caps for that, of course."

Uh huh. Only _after_ Gat mentioned it, though. "So what's the total price? I'm thinkin' 100 caps, fair and square."

"That ain't fair and square," a new voice piped up from behind, and Gat twisted with a menacing glare; he wouldn't dare forget this voice.

"Well, if ain't fuckin' _Cowboy_ himself. This ain't the city for holier-than-thou shitwits. Mind your own business, knob jockey."

"No can do, not when you're cheatin' him out of money for a scope you know is worth more."

"Oi, I dunno where the fuck you came from or who you think you are, and I don't care. He was gonna cheat me if I didn't see the crack. I _know_ my guns and my scopes and what they're worth." Gat turned around, his fingers itching to grab a revolver from his bag. "Now piss off and stay away from me, you ain't a preacher and this ain't a church; else yer gonna have a few holes showin' daylight outta ya. Be glad I'm patient enough to give ya a warnin', because it's the first and the last." He turned around and spilled the caps out the sack, quickly counting 100 as his gaze cut into Arturo. "100 caps. Take it or leave it, mate."

Arturo slid the caps over and handed the scope without protest. Good. Smart man. Gat smirked in triumph; if Arturo agreed he was being cheated instead of doing the cheating, he wouldn't make the trade so handily. Gat stuffed it all in his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He'd use the workbench another time when his fingers didn't twitch to pull a trigger and kill the nosy wanker behind him, to put an end to his pretentious pretend-kindness. If he was such a good guy, he'd be more like Piper with eyes that were actually _alive. _

No doubt he was just making a public show of it so the other merchants and see what a _nice guy_ he was and give him a discount for being some sort of hero.

Gat took a wide detour just to slam into Cowboy's shoulder before he arced around to head to Becky's shop, sneering when the knob jockey simply sighed and fixed his stupid hat. If that wanker actually showed up to Piper's office and was invited inside, Gat would make sure he was there just so that there weren't any _unfavorable_ moves played on his boss.

And he was going to make sure Cowboy got the message that Piper was off limits.

**x - x - x**

"Uh..." Piper blinked. "I didn't expect that shirt on you. RobCo? Seriously?" He was the furthest thing from a robotics engineer.

"What? It's green."

"Ah. _Right._ Forgive me, how could I have forgotten something so important?" Piper smirked, lopsided, and knocked on her door for Nat to unlock it. She squashed the anxiety that brewed in her stomach when Nat opened it up and squeezed by them on her way to school. It surprised Piper when Nat and Garrett actually _fist bumped,_ both chuckling evilly. That didn't bode well for Piper at all. She narrowed her eyes on Garrett when Nat left without a word, but sniggered to herself all the way to school. That was definitely suspicious. "What did you do to my sister?"

"I didn't do nothin'."

"You clearly did. She isn't randomly friendly, especially like _that._ What kind of prank are you running now?"

"I'm not runnin' a prank right now." Garrett shrugged, but his gaze conveniently avoided her. He unlaced and toed off his boots then hobbled around her to rest on the couch, dropping his bag off on the side. "Maybe I ain't a stranger to her."

"You're telling me that you two became friends in all of what, one or two hours of meeting each other when you dropped me off that night?"

"Well, can ya blame me? I'm a charmin' fellow, ain't I?"

_Ugh!_

"Just tell me the truth, Garrett!" Piper marched in front of him and crossed her arms, puffing her chest to intimidate him. Not that it'd work. She knew that.

"Oooh~ I think I'm not gonna now." _Of course he wasn't!_ "It's drivin' ya batty already." Garrett adjusted his leg and grimaced when he'd assisted it to bend, and his cheeky grin was soon revived after that. Piper sighed and head back to lock her door, then head to the other one to head out to the trailer. "Where ya goin'?"

"I'll be back soon, I'm just gonna open the news stand and set it up for Nat for when she comes back home."

"I can do that. Your ribs-"

"Your _leg._" Piper shot him a stern look. "Just stay on the couch and rest, Garrett. You haven't gone to see the doctor have you?"

The face he made was _so full of shit._

"Yes."

"No," Piper groaned, "of course not. Why would you?"

"He's gonna stab me with needles!"

"He has to! Jeez... Do you want your leg to get better or not?" Piper frowned when the stubborn man got up and limped over anyways, and she grabbed his hand before he opened the door to the trailer. "At least get it looked at, _please._ Maybe all you'll need is to clean up the wound and then bandage it, let it heal naturally, or something. You can't function like this and you're going to end up hurting something else. Just your leg, Garrett. I'm not even asking about any of your other injuries."

Garrett stared at her, his forehead subtly creased. Good. At least she made him think about it. That's all she needed, just a sliver of an opening to persuade him. When he sighed and nodded, head fallen dejectedly, she beamed a smile. "Thank you."

"No problem, Boss..."

God, he sounded as if his soul had been sucked out of him. Such a sullen baby.

"Now lemme bring the garage up for ya; don't need my bleedin' leg for that, and you needa give your ribs a break too."

"Deal."

Neither moved. Piper hung on to his hand, staring, waiting; she didn't know what _he_ was waiting for. She curled her index around his and tugged gently, hoping he'd get the hint. He either pretended he didn't, or he pretended he didn't. There was absolutely no other option. She hooked a hand on his shoulder and rose on her toes, glaring when he simply stayed straight and refused to bend his neck, a slow smile tugging the corner of his mouth.

"Kiss me or lose the privilege forever," she warned, and he laughed.

"Was just waitin' for you to ask for it, luv. Can't always read your mind and figure out whatcha want, yeah?"

That face he made? Still _full of shit._

"Don't make me get toilet paper for your breath, Garrett." Piper smirked when he laughed again, and finally bent down to meet her lips. Her nerves _hummed_ and her belly buzzed when he grabbed her hips, gently pushing her until her back hit the door. Her hand snuck under his shirt, gliding along lean muscles that worked in tandem and danced under her touch, but she sought an _object_ that she hoped still hid underneath. She smiled in the kiss when she felt the bullet.

Garrett wrapped an arm around the small of her back and pulled her against him for enough space to unlock and open the door. He pushed her into the trailer, dim and stuffy, and closed the door. Darkness fell, the only light gone, and it thrilled her, _emboldened_ her. She gasped when he bit her lip roughly, then spun her around.

"It gonna echo in here?"

Piper glanced over her shoulder in confusion, but couldn't see much until her eyes adjusted. She didn't know what he was doing, or why he needed to hear himself echo.

Then he pressed against her.

"Good, that'll be _handy,_" he murmured, his pelvis against her rump, pushing her until she grabbed on to her press machine for leverage. She shuddered when he swept her hair over a shoulder and kissed her nape, leaving a sinful promise in her skin. "I have a lot of ideas of what I want to do to you, luv."

Heat consumed her face when her brain finally made the connection of what exactly he wanted to do in _here,_ and she stammered shyly. "W-we can't here."

"Why not?" Garrett conformed to her back, holding her hips against his. "All work, no play. This machine of yours is good for more than just printin'."

Good lord.

"It's not meant for this either," she husked, nibbling the flesh of her cheek when his hands snuck under her shirt, calloused fingers spreading against her stomach. She chickened out when she felt something hard grow against her, and forced herself to turn around even when her body began to _thrum_ and ache. She felt around until she framed his jaw and pulled him for a kiss, timidly whispering her confession. "Um... I've never..."

"_I know,_" he whispered back. "Just givin' you ideas of what's waiting for you. After the doctor, I have a place I want to show you too. Ain't never take anyone there before."

"What kind of 'take'?" Piper blurted, blushing fiercely over her own vulgar innuendo. She squirmed when gravelly chuckles hit her lips.

"I mean the innocent kind, luv. I think you'll like it; enjoy the view, enjoy a beer, play another round of cards again. A chance to unwind, get to know each other better. Reckon y'got all sorts of questions." Lights flicked on at the flip of a switch, and Garrett smiled as he playfully flicked her between the eyes. "This ain't ever gonna get old for me, flustering you and makin' you go red like this. Good to know you like it."

"I never said I did," Piper huffed.

"Y'don't hafta anymore, luv. What you _do... _The way your eyes look, how your voice changes, all that says everything." Garrett kissed her for a fleeting second, then suddenly left her. She scrambled to grab the press machine before she fell _forward,_ a painful realization striking that she had held on to him. He laughed even before he looked at her, grinning wolfishly. "I can't wait to see your face tomorrow morning."

"..._Tomorrow_ morning?"

"Yeah." Garrett slid the trailer door up and looked outside first, then turned to face her, his hands hanging overhead on the trailer handle. Her gaze wandered to his biceps, and _ideas_ threatened to flourish when her imagination taunted of what those arms could be capable of. A heady rush coursed through her when she met his eyes. Gunmetal orbs danced with a devilish glint; his sinful thoughts laid bare, unashamed.

"After you dream and find out there are two meanings to Mr. _Handy_."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Thanks for taking precious time to leave an uplifting review Ddastan! The fandom is an old one so I expected there wouldn't be much reception, and I reckon I still have a lot of areas to improve on (plus I think OCs are overall not as popular especially when pit against a heroic Minuteman SS). I'm always open to feedback and to errors as well since I'm limited to typing on the mobile, so it's hard to spot them until I publish the chapter and edit as fast as I can. __If mistakes are a huge pet peeve, I'd recommend waiting an hour after the chapter is published for fanfiction to update my changes.  
_

_About the SS, yes, in the original story he was the plain old goodie two-shoes and it was honest to god so boring to write him. The only thing that saved me was just writing a character that would annoy Gat LOL. This time I'd really like to tackle balancing the extent of trauma and the pre-war moral compass/perspective. If anyone's into fudgemuppet's fallout 4 youtube builds, just think of 'road warrior' and 'preacher' blended together :)_

_Anyways, hope you all enjoyed and see you in the next chapter! Cheers!_


	15. The Price Of Her Ultimatum

**_Chapter 15: The Price Of Her Ultimatum_**

* * *

"We will never speak of that again," Garrett mumbled, _traumatized. _It didn't matter what he used to do, not even the biggest assholes deserved that torture.

Piper didn't waste a second nodding. "No, we won't." It was a horrific ordeal even for her. She stood beside Garrett awkwardly, her fingers itching to intertwine with his as a silent apology, and instead opted to squeeze his shoulder. "I'm sorry for putting you through that. I didn't think Dr. Sun even had needles that large." She shuddered just thinking about that thing sinking in herself. It may as well have been the size of a bloodbug; she didn't dare make that comparison lest she terrified the poor man of those creatures and unwittingly send him off on a mission to cleanse the Commonwealth of them.

"Please don't talk about needles," he shivered violently. "Let's just... Never speak of that _ever again._" Especially the part where he'd been asked to drop his pants, and Piper was forced to keep watching what Dr. Sun was doing when Garrett chickened out the moment a needle was drawn. She wasn't sure what was worse at the time. The only good thing, for her anyways, was that she had a grisly wound to focus on instead of his underwear. "C'mon, let's go already, Boss. Are there any errands y'needa run first?"

"Yeah. I gotta pick up my new house keys and my jacket, but I'm not sure if either one will be ready yet. I only dropped them off before I caught up with you." Piper looked at her office, worrying her lip. "Do you think it's safe to leave it unlocked? Nobody would want to break in my place anyways, I don't think. Unless it's for more revenge or bitter cartels or-"

"Let's lock it up t'be safe. I can do it for ya then climb off the roof. Ain't no thief gonna be determined enough to jump up and go through there; and if they try, the guards should stop 'em."

"Yeah, you'd _think,_ if the guards actually liked me." Piper sighed. "But you're right, they'd have to go through a whole lot of trouble that way."

"We can stay in the area too; maybe head to the Dugout for a beer and just kick it back outside on the porch?"

Piper smiled and squeezed his shoulder again, wondering how he'd feel about any sort of displays of affection in public. She didn't have the courage to take it for herself anyways, and so took the lead back to her house, confident Garrett would have an easier time keeping up with her now. She stole a look behind her and was disappointed to see his hands folded on the back of his head, arching his brow in confusion when he caught her.

"Got that scrunchy look on yer face, luv. Somethin' the matter?"

"N-nothing." Piper whirled back and picked up the pace as she rushed back into the safety her home, forgetting all about the part where _Garrett_ was supposed to be the one to lock up. She tensed when he followed her inside, and the door clicked shut, echoing inside her bloody brain.

"You're a smart bird, Boss, but a shite liar. Worse than me. What's actually wrong?"

"I promise it's nothing."

"Nothing always means something." Garrett slowly turned her by her shoulders, and she just _let_ him. No resistance whatsoever, and all the dread. She smiled bashfully when she met his intense gaze, his eyes flicking to and fro; probably analyzing her. Good luck guessing what was bugging her. "I got it."

_What?_ Seriously?

"It's that time of the month for ya, innit?"

Piper flushed in an instant. "No! God, what is with you and... _That?!_"

"I'm pretty sure that's it, with how yer reactin'. Ain't no shame in it luv, I know every lass-"

"It's not my period! It's _you. _You should know by now that it's always _you._"

"What about me?" There was something alarming in the way he smiled; soft and warm, something he'd never ever done before. She didn't think he _could._

"I don't know what to do with you," Piper blurted, "when we're out in public. Can I call you Garrett? Can I reach for your hand, can I kiss you on the cheek?"

"No, yes, and bloody _definitely_ yes," Garrett answered simply, though she was disappointed by the first no. "Only you know about my name, luv, and I'd like to keep it that way. It's just yours to use, nobody else. I'm Gat or gun or gunner or arsehole to everybody else outside of this between us. And you can do more than just kiss my cheek." His hand slid along the curve of her jaw, hooking on her nape. "Real glad I wasn't the only one wondering, 'cause I thought you'd shoot me in the bloody cock if I tried. Next time I'm gettin' needles the size of my rifle sticking me in the leg, I want kisses to keep my mind off it."

"I'm pretty sure nothing's going to stop you shrieking like a girl over needles," Piper teased lightheartedly, and she looped her arms around his shoulders as she rose on her toes. "Here's to you for being brav-"

Knocks interrupted them. Garrett shot the most menacing glare at the door, and he honestly looked ready to _kill_ whoever was on the other side of it. Piper smiled sheepishly and stole a quick kiss on the cheek, patting it after. "It shouldn't take long, whatever it is." Who the heck was visiting right now, anyways? Unless... _Blue._ She had invited him to her office and requested an interview, after all.

This wasn't going to bode well for the possessive man already steaming behind her. She shot a smirk over her shoulder and jerked her chin to the stairs. "Go on, help yourself to all the cigarettes you need in my drawer. I don't want you scaring off my next article by making broody faces at him."

"No way, I'm stayin' and watching to make sure he ain't gonna do nothing to ya."

Piper rolled her eyes. "He's not going to do anything, Garrett. Just watch from upstairs then. Let me do my job, please." She smirked wickedly. "Or I'll invite Dr. Sun-"

"Going, I'm going! Sadist..."

"I don't want to hear that coming from you!" Piper shot back, then spun on her heels with a triumphant smirk. Yes, she wouldn't ever speak of the ordeal ever again, but now she had a surefire way to kick Garrett out if she needed it. She fixed her hair to look as professional as she _couldn't_ without her staple uniform and grabbed the nearest notepad before she answered the door, beaming a bright smile. "Hey, Blue! Glad you could come by. Please, come in!"

Grumbles from upstairs made themselves known; an evil smirk danced behind her lips. Another surefire way to annoy Garrett and get _revenge _for all the times he tormented her.

And there were **a lot** of times, especially since he still kept tormenting her.

"Blue?" The cowboy took his hat off and held it against his chest, a peculiar quirk she'd never seen anyone do, but deduced the reasoning when he bowed his head to her out of respect. He came inside and his gaze flickered to Garrett's boots, then around her home. He seemed cautious, skittish, and she felt a little uncomfortable when his eyes landed on her. "Am I interrupting something? Thought I heard someone."

"You're not interrupting anything, don't worry." Piper bit the inside of her lip when she heard something kicked in her room, trying to keep her eyes on Blue rather than rolling until she saw her freaking brain. Garrett was pushing buttons, finding ways to announce his presence in other ways. She held out her hand towards the couch as she stepped aside. "Please make yourself comfortable. Do you want anything? I've got nuka-cola and water." And a couple gwinnett stouts, but she was saving those for Garrett.

Hey, Gwinnett and Garrett, they-

Not the time.

"Water will be fine, thank you." Blue sat on the couch, his gaze never stopping on any object on her house. She felt a jolt of protectiveness and anxiety when those eyes strayed to Nat's room, but focused on getting a can of purified water out of her fridge, ignoring the man that shot daggers around the corner up at her room. The end of his cigarette glowed bright. Poor Garrett must have been chugging it as if his life depended on it. "So why 'Blue'?"

"Hm? Oh." Piper closed the fridge and handed off the water, smiling with pride over her nickname. She jerked her chin to the cowboy's pip-boy. "You're not wearing the jumpsuit right now, but that pip-boy and fish out of water look? Dead giveaways. You're a vault dweller."

What was with his eyes moving all over the place? It was as if he was assessing her for danger. She frowned at that. "I won't take up much of your time, I just want an interview with you about your vault life." She stepped over her coffee table and took the other end of the couch, well aware of the way Blue's shoulders hiked up a touch. He cradled his hat on his lap and didn't twist towards her, remaining stiff and picturesque as if he was posing to be some sort of sculpture.

"Didn't really live in there in the conventional sense," Blue muttered, and his gaze fell to the can in his hand; something so near, yet he looked so far away. "'Fraid I'd just disappoint ya. There ain't no life _left_ in the vault I came from."

"What do you mean? Did everyone leave?"

"No. They didn't get the chance to." Blue lifted his head, his dead gaze piercing her. That dreadful feeling brewing in her stomach reached a whole new level of discomfort.

What the heck was with this guy? Maybe it wasn't a good idea to invite him here, after all.

"Did everyone... Die?" Piper shifted the way she held the pencil, ready to stab, _just in case._ As long as she caught the neck, she'd buy herself a few seconds before she could get her hands on a weapon. She shifted back and squished herself into the corner of the couch when Blue finally turned to her, shadows over his eyes; shadows _in_ his eyes too.

"My family and I were frozen in the vault shortly after the bombs dropped. I was thawed maybe only a few days ago. Everybody else died in their pods, a malfunction. They suffocated."

Piper stared blankly, her brain working in overdrive to process the information. Before the bombs dropped. Then he was from before the war? No way. She looked at her fridge. She had water and stouts and nuka-cola and _food_ in there, not human beings. She'd heard that most vaults had ran a sick experiment of sorts, but what could have possibly been gained by stuffing people in fridges? She looked back at Blue as he drank calmly, thumb circling the lip of the can.

"This whole world must be a big shock to you, then." That explained the fish out of water look. "I'm sorry about what happened to you..."

Blue shrugged, and he suddenly looked his _real_ age as hunched over like an elderly person, dark bags circling under his eyes. "I just want to find my family."

"Wait, they're alive? And you don't know where they are?"

"No. A... Group came and took them out of their pods; my wife, and my baby son. I remember scientists and a man with a scar on the left side of his face. He could have been a mercenary of some sort judging by his outfit, compared to the scientists." He lifted his head, his weary gaze settled on her. "I've run out of leads. Nobody in this city wants to help me. I've tried the science center but the scientists there weren't the same, and I keep hearing about this 'Institute', and-"

"Don't do it, Boss!" Garrett yelled from upstairs, and Blue's hand snapped to the pistol on his belt.

Piper ignored the outburst. "I'll help you, and I can take you to a guy that I _know_ can and will help you."

Garrett cussed, and something else was kicked.

Blue cast a worried glance in the direction of her room, then at her. "Everyone else won't even hear my story, so why are you helping me? What's in it for you?"

"Nothing is fuckin' in it for her!" Garrett stormed down, and when the two men glared at each other, Piper's head fell in her hands and she groaned. Another pissing match between two men. _Exactly_ what she needed. "Listen to me, Cowboy, there ain't nobody in this wasteland that ain't without a sob story. Y'hear? Everyone is in it for themselves except _her,_ because she ain't hafta pay the prices of survival." That was some assumption. "Your family is **gone.** D-"

"Gat." Piper interjected sternly, rubbing her temples as she steeled herself to calm the smoking barrel down and lay the weapon down. She had the ultimate ultimatum for him; it terrified her just thinking about it, but there was no way they could be together if he hated the _core_ part of her _this_ much. "I'm going to interview him, and write an article on his perspective. I've got two other ideas and once Nat sells all of those articles, you can get the rest of your caps from her. After that, our contract is done. I'm no longer your boss and you're no longer my _gun._ But let me make one thing clear: I'm going to help him. What are you going to do?"

Veins broiled and rose from the skin, his face flushing hot. He looked like he was going to explode any second. It hurt _worse_ when he shut off, and left without a word.

The price of her ultimatum demanded more than the price of her survival.

**x - x - x**

Everything they had ever been through was laid to waste. She wanted to blame him for it, but she knew she played a part. She _forced_ him to choose. As much as she hated it, he made the right choice; for his family, anyways. Not for them. Not for the life _Gat_ wanted. What was he going to do now? Probably go back to the Gunners. She hadn't found him anywhere in the city either, to hand off the caps he never came for. He wasn't at the farm, or the wall, or the bar, or the mayor's office, or even the stupid church. It didn't matter where she would look.

Because he left.

He _really_ left...

Piper fixed her hat so that the brim covered her eyes, and she absentmindedly ran a hand down her scarf. It was losing his smell. She went back home to let Nat know where she was going next and dropped off the caps, giving her little sister free reign to do whatever she wanted with it. Piper geared up and made sure she had her _necessities_ for her next mission: cigarettes and bullets.

Blue waited for her at the entrance to the city, and the entire long walk up the stairs, she kept blinking, wishing she'd see an army hat instead of a cowboy's, or maybe even a fedora so that Nick could take over and help Blue out instead. It was selfish and hypocritical, she knew that; but this was a price pride named and paid.

So stupid...

"Are you sure about this, Ms. Wright?" Blue asked softly, and Piper nodded with as much enthusiasm as she could fake, avoiding his eyes. She looked over her shoulder at the city for one last time, then followed him out. They traveled in comfortable silence, something that nagged her relentlessly. This shouldn't be comfortable. She shouldn't be comfortable. She should be annoyed to her wit's end and internally scream and cry, begging for a vulgar loudmouth to shut up.

This was so pathetic. She was an independent woman with firm beliefs, the _right_ ones, and she shouldn't have to apologize or pay the price for that. But neither could Gat. He was just a man doing whatever it took to protect what was his, to protect and care for his family in the only way life _allowed_ him to.

Why was she rationalizing for him when she wanted to hate him for leaving her? It'd be so much easier to deal with all of these stupid feelings then. Stupid brain.

Gunfire snapped her out of her reverie. She sought cover behind a concrete block with Blue, who fired and reloaded with some sort of lever-action rifle; she rarely saw those. And what happened to the laser one he had the other night? A bullet chipped the corner of the concrete and adrenaline spiked, surging through her as she unholstered and fed a mag in her pistol.

...When had she carried it unloaded? That wasn't her habit.

_Ugh._

Piper fired blindly as she looked around to see where they could go if their enemies crept up on them, and spotted a ladder. Curse every single fucking thing that was reminding her of that wretched man right now. She squeezed Blue's shoulder as she slithered behind him. "Cover me, I'm going to go up that ladder and get them from above."

"Take my rifle, then." Blue slung the strap over her without any signs of regrets, or any grumbling about _permission_ to touch or breathe on babies. She didn't let that thought carry any further and gave him her pistol with all her mags, then rushed for the ladder as soon as he provided cover fire, ignoring the aches in her ribs as she climbed.

Arms snapped around her waist and she was pried off, the rifle strap slipping through her hands when she was slung over a shoulder. She hailed cusses as she beat her fists on her kidnapper's back. This better not be _third time's a charm _with yet another fucking mercenary band of 'businessmen' and a cartel a few weeks dead.

"Blue! Help!"

Piper was carried away without a fight. She looked up and saw Blue aiming, never firing, a stupid confused look on his face. What was confusing about this?

All she could remember was the sniper who hadn't hesitated to take the shot, who fought like hell for her until there was no other option but to surrender, who decided to be captured with her even when his family's survival depended on his.

_This_ was the price of her ultimatum.


	16. The Vow

**_Chapter 16: The Vow_**

* * *

Piper awoke with a massive headache and a groggy fog that refused to fade. The first thing _instinct_ and _experience_ taught her to check were her wrists, and she was surprised to see two free hands in front of her face. She leaned back until her head was cradled between bars, looking beside her. No Blue, no Gat; all alone in her cell. She wracked her brain for the last memory, fuzzily remembering being carried away before she was dropped. Some sort of mask smothered her before she got a good look at who took her this time, and in a breath, the world disappeared.

Gunners couldn't have been it, Gat said that job was finished... But this cell looked familiar. Too familiar. Piper narrowed her eyes on the table where she could see a set of cards on it, and smoke whisked away from a stubbed cigarette in an ash tray. There was the shower stall. The 'water closet' was to her right, and _her_ bed was on her left.

"Gat, I'm going to _kill_ you when I get out of here!" Piper screamed as loud as she could. She burst when the door swung open, and in casually strolled Gat with two beers.

"And you need to pee, right?"

"This isn't the time for jokes! Get me out of here, what's the meaning of this?! Where's Blue?"

"He's just fine; don'tcha think yer in a position where y'oughta worry about yourself, luv? I leave for a few days, and you already piss off the wasteland without me?"

"Not. Funny." Piper launched herself up into standing, regretting it soon after when a wave of dizziness overcame her. She stumbled and grabbed on the bars, groaning when the world wouldn't stop spinning. Bile laced her tongue. The shriek of a cell door echoed in her brain and she swatted away Gat when he reached for her. "Stay away from me," she rasped weakly, "what did you do to me?"

"One of the boys used too much gas, you're probably still groggy and nauseous."

"That's an understatement..." She relented when he grabbed her waist, urging her to walk out the cell. "What's happening, Gat? Tell me you're going to get me out of here."

"I will, but y'needa trust me and play along for a bit. Come to the table. I got fresh food waitin' outside, just needa bring it in once y'feel a bit better to eat. We'll play some cards to kill time 'til then, and figure out who the hell wants you this badly. They're payin' a hefty sum and wanted you t'be kidnapped by us with witnesses."

Was this a dream? All of this felt surreal, and she just followed along with his suggestions without any resistance. She should've been losing her shit that he'd kidnapped her _again._ And left her in the first place to come back to this bullshit. And left Blue alone to fend for himself, if he wasn't fucking kidnapped himself.

"Where's Blue?" Piper asked again, and she peered up at Gat. Annoyance was written all over his features, and he sucked in a deep breath before he answered her.

"I persuaded him to take a couple of the privates to help him find your friend, that detective guy, right? I'm gonna pay the privates my cut if they make it back alive." He plopped her down in a chair, taking his across from her. He opened their beers and handed one to her. She felt a metal object slide on her lap beneath the table, and her finger traced the outline; a gun.

Something about this all kept her on her guard though, especially with one little word said with no regard for the people behind it.

"_If?_ You're not just ordering people to their death because you don't like Blue, are you?"

"No. I'm not like the Gunner commanders, I actually give a shite about the grunts." Gat looked away. "I'm doing the only thing I can in my position, Piper."

"Bullshit. If you really wanted to help, you'd have warned me. You'd have gotten me out of there or accepted a different job, but you took this one because now you get to sit here and say 'I told you so'."

"I took this one because I know I'm the one that can get you out of this game, _permanently!_"

"Before or after you're paid?"

Gat's jaw set, neck muscles rippling. Then he shut off, just like the last time he left her. "You know why I do what I do, and yer still treatin' me like I'm the enemy. Didn't ya hear me earlier? This ain't the cartel no more, luv. Whoever's backin' this job is payin' big judging from my cut, and they want witnesses that it's _us. _Who else d'ya think would want that, huh?" He snapped up into standing, marching out. "I'm putting the food in here and locking the door. Do whatever you want, since you're going to _anyways._" He twisted, mocking a gun gesture with his hand as he 'shot' her. "Bang."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? As soon as he finished unloading the food in the room, she took out the pistol he smuggled on her lap and checked it; it was already fed a magazine. She hid it inside her jacket and looked around the cell. No robots, so nobody could be watching her through them with a terminal, if Gunners even got that fancy. They had the tech and the skill. What did she have? Just one measly pistol.

Gat better have had a better plan than this in place. Was he still going to help her even after their spat? He did the first time... Piper chewed her lip as she stared at their beers, regretting her hasty emotions and words. She was just frustrated, and worried, and _fed up_ with this stupid kidnapping shit. How many more times was this going to happen? And who could possibly be the biggest employer out there, funding a public kidnapping? It couldn't have been the Institute, could it? If they really wanted her out of the picture, couldn't they take her the same way they took everybody else?

Creaks whined and the door opened to a burly man with a leer that made goosebumps break out. He eyed the mess on the table, then at her. "Who the fuck let you out?"

"How should I know? You haven't introduced yourself, now have you?"

"You dunno who you're talkin' to. Watch your tongue, woman," his lewd grin grew, "or there'll be a _price_ to pay."

How original. Seriously, just how many times had she heard the same song and tune before?

"Oh, yeah? Enlighten me." Piper roved over his gear, trying to get a read first in case if he overplayed his hand. "Just who am I talking to, big guy?"

"Someone who has your life in his hands." He came over and laid a hand on the table, towering over her. She grimaced at the stench of his rotten breath. The door opened again and they looked over; Gat had returned. "Sergeant, who was on guard duty last? Who let the prisoner out?"

"Bang." Gat had only mocked the gun gesture again, and Piper took out the pistol from her jacket. She drove the barrel in the gunner's gut, watching as his eyes spluttered in fear.

"S-shoot her, Sergeant! She's armed!"

"Seems to me it's your life in her hands now. Ain't karma a bitch?" Gat drew a revolver and cocked the hammer back, aiming for the head. He jerked his chin offside. "Get out the splash zone, luv. Don't want your jacket getting dirty again." Piper hastily clamored out of the chair and off the side, watching with sadistic pleasure as the other gunner rose his hands and sung a different tune. Coward.

"Please, is it more caps you want? I'll give you my cut as soon as we hand her off. Or we don't have to! I'll never do this again. We-"

"Whaddya say, Boss?" Gat walked to her, his gun always trained on the gunner, and reached to push hers down. "You're the gun, and I'm your bullet. Aim me and pull the trigger."

Piper stared at him, but his face betrayed nothing as his steely gaze remained on the other gunner. Were they not supposed to be on the same side? She wasn't even paying him anymore. She wasn't his boss. This man was, and yet Gat was backstabbing someone who may very well have been a mercenary for the same reasons as him. She chewed her lip and shook her head. "Let him go, I think he's learned his lesson."

_Garrett_ smirked and lowered his gun. "Knew you'd say that." When the other gunner looked behind and saw that the revolver was down, he made a move for the gun on his belt. Piper pulled the trigger and shot him before he had the chance to unholster his pistol.

"Because I knew he'd do that," she muttered, shaking her head as she watched blood pool around the gunner's skull. "I don't like shooting people who are unarmed or surrendering."

"Even when you know they aren't?"

Piper shrugged.

"Don't think I'll ever get you, luv," Garrett sighed, and he handed her his revolver. No permissions. No 'no breathing'. What the heck? "Now shoot me in the leg."

"W-what?"

"We need to make it look like you stole my gun and broke out of here. If I stay on the inside, I'll be one step ahead of them every time they try to make a move on you. We're gettin' paid a _ton_ of caps for this job, Boss. This ain't no small time thing like the cartel-" they were considered _small time?_ "-and the gunners ain't gonna roll over and give up for a paycheck like this." Garrett strode to the dead gunner and adjusted how the corpse laid, then stood beside it. "Here. Reckon y'been dreamin' of the opportunity, so don't go passin' it up again. We gotta hurry, someone's bound to have heard that shot."

"Garrett..." Piper frowned sadly, shaking her head. "You're not paying my price. You have a family you need to look out for."

"So do you. I'll be fine, luv. I've always managed; survived way worse than this. Ain't need a leg to snipe. C'mon, right here." He bent down and smacked his shin. "Try and get the side if y'can. Don't wanna dig for no bullets."

"Just come with me," Piper urged, stuffing the gun inside her jacket as she approached him. She didn't stop when he groaned exasperatedly. "There's no point to survival if there's nothing to survive for." She rested her hand on his chest and spread her fingers out, happy to feel the bullet hiding underneath his shirt. "That's what you realized back at the farm, wasn't it? That, and a mercenary's life won't show you why you're alive. So come with me."

"I ain't alive to help sob stories with bad endings either," he muttered, and he averted his gaze to the floor. "This is the only way I can protect you. I can't protect you from his bad ending, but I can stop a bad ending happening to you. Maybe even figure out who the fuck has it in for you now."

"Why are you so sure that Blue's ending is 'bad'? If we help him-"

"Boss. His family is **gone.**" Garrett looked up at her. "Mercenaries never keep prisoners for long, you know that yourself. And scientists? That means fucked up experiments."

"We have to try. We have to help Blue find my friend first, Nick will know where to start looking."

"And how much is he gonna ask for? I can't afford to pay caps I ain't getting." It wasn't his responsibility to pay, anyways.

Piper smiled, and patted his cheek. "If you think I'm bad, wait until you meet Nick."

"What? What's that s'pos'ta mean?"

Piper didn't answer him and she left for the exit, with him hot on her heels. She laughed when Garrett actually sounded _panicked._

"Boss? Boss! Don't tell me he likes gettin' screwed by everyone too?!"

Oh, how she missed this vulgar backtalk.

**x - x - x**

"How did you convince Blue to just leave me with you and take the other guys, anyways? I'm surprised you didn't shoot him and make up a story for me."

"The thought crossed my mind," came the honest response, and she frowned at him. "Well, ain't gonna lie. You'd sniff me out anyways." Garrett sighed. He opened a small bottle of gun oil and dabbed a bit on his palm, then raked a hand through his hair, tips slicked and spiked. The small gunner complex laid behind them, unforgotten, after they'd snuck out through bullshit that he was _transferring_ the prisoner. Piper watched him closely. He seemed... Relieved, almost, but uncertain too.

Hopefully, even if it didn't seem like it right now, he'd realize that this was the right choice. She still didn't expect him to give up on the gunners completely, though, not when it was a good and reliable source of income. Maybe, just _maybe,_ he'd be a little pickier about the jobs he took on; or just become a freelance mercenary.

Garrett shrugged with a mumble. "Look, I know we ain't see eye to eye on shite like this." He sidestepped a little closer, his knuckles brushing against hers, testing boundaries. "Y'got a bleedin' heart, Piper. I just don't want it bleedin' _out._ I got a really bad feeling 'bout this whole mess, and that ain't even countin' your mess too." The moment her fingers responded and intertwined with his, he inhaled sharply and turned to her. "There's enough of _me_ in the world. What y'do drives me nuts, but... Every time y'do it, it makes me think 'why weren't there more like her, back then? Why couldn't I have someone like her save me?' I'm worried you're gonna burn out someday, and turn into _me._"

"Oh, no, _please,_ no, the world can't handle two Gats." Piper teased halfheartedly, proud to have drawn the smallest smirk from him. "I'm not going to bleed or burn out, Garrett. I promise. But next time, if we're worried about something, or even angry... Let's do this." She hooked their pinkies together, randomly swinging their arms about. She had no clue what she was doing but she rolled with it anyways. "Let's do exactly this and talk it out. No more fights, and no more walking away from each other."

"Deal. I can accept the terms of that contract."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Leave it to you to treat it-"

And she was silenced with a kiss.

"Let me finish-"

And another.

"Garrett-"

And another. His lips curled in a smile.

"You're enjoying this," she muffled even when he'd pressed his mouth hard against hers, and she swallowed his chuckles. But then something changed; he changed.

"Sorry I left." Garrett broke away with a sigh. "Knew it was dumb. Didn't _want_ to either. Regretted it soon as I stepped out the city but... I dunno why I didn't just turn around and come back. All this shite's new to me. I've always solved all my problems with bullets, and I didn't know what the fuck I was s'pose to do, or what I was thinking, or feeling or... Just... I can't guarantee I'll always talk it out, Piper, 'cause I don't even know how to put this shite into words sometimes. I ain't good with 'em like you."

"Then just promise me you won't leave me again. That's all I need; we'll figure out the rest when we get there. We always have." Piper cupped his cheek and caught his eyes before he tried to avert them. "Look at me _when_ you make that promise, please. I understand words are difficult, but that's all they really are. I'm not looking for you to be a smooth talker, Garrett. I never have." She smirked, and her hand fell on his chest, fingertips drumming playfully as she lilted. "I wouldn't be here if I was."

"Heh, yeah. Definitely ain't ever gonna be no smooth talker like you, luv." A devilish glint danced in his eyes when he looked at her. "Rough's always better."

"See? You're not so bad with words; I mean technically you are, in a sense, with how you _use_ them." Piper conveniently ignored what he was implying, and the blush that slowly crawled up her throat. "They're empty until you give them context; they don't matter as much as you being a man of your word. That's all I care about."

Garrett watched her, his gaze flitting down to the fingers drumming on his chest. He reached and flattened her hand hard against him, the bullet hidden underneath his shirt digging into her palm. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, trailing them across her freckled cheekbone until he whispered in her ear. "A promise, huh? I'll do you one better since you love good competition."

"I'm not the only one," Piper rolled her eyes, groaning exasperatedly. "Leave it to you to-"

"I_ vow _it."

Oh.

Well, then.

"I suppose... I'll take it... Yeah, that'll do," she mumbled, taken aback by how _weird_ she felt over three little words. His hearty laughter shook the air.

"One day you'll be sayin' that in a different 'context', luv." Garrett winked. "The kind that involves our birthday suits."

Piper punched his shoulder.

"There we go! Knew y'were hidin' in there. Handyman, I am; fixed ya right up, was worried I fried yer brain there."

"Why do you always have to ruin it? We were having a moment, Garrett!"

For some reason, a dreadful feeling snaked around her heart. It couldn't possibly have had anything to do with his sinful smile, no, of course not.

"Haven't ya figured it out yet? I taint everything I touch, luv." Calloused hands snuck under her shirt, pulling her against him by her waist. "And I _know_ I can be a man of my word with this vow too: I'm going to ruin you in the most beautiful way possible." His arm wrapped around the small of her back, fingers tangling in the back of her hair. "I think about you a lot, Piper." She was trapped against him and bent awkwardly when he husked in her ear, making goosebumps rise on top of goosebumps.

"And not every thought is innocent."


	17. Stop

_**Chapter 17: Stop  
Heads up - **don't skip chapter 16 as I just published that a few hours ago today! Enjoy!**  
**_

* * *

There were a lot of things both wrong and right with Garrett. Piper didn't know which one it was right now, as he slept away behind her; without his shirt on, because _of course_ he would. She understood that it was hot and humid, she did, because she dearly wished she could do the same. However, she possessed this trait inherently dubbed _modesty. _Something Garrett was lacking, evidently.

Now was that wrong or _right?_

Heat throbbed under her cheeks and she swore her brain was frying on the inside. It didn't help matters whatsoever when Garrett had come closer, as if it wasn't already cramped enough in this stupid shed she stupidly thought was a good idea to seek shelter in. So stupid. Piper winced when her own swallow sounded as if it _echoed_ in here, and her heart raced a touch faster when Garrett lazily slung an arm over her. Had it not landed as jerkily as it did, rather than _deliberately_ as she knew he would, she would have sworn he was awake and tormenting her like this on purpose.

Thousands of thoughts occupied her mind and refused to release her; she sought solace in anything that didn't have to do with Garrett, but even the 'innocent' ones bore curious questions, now that she had the time to think and reflect on all the events that have happened back in the complex. At least now she knew where she was taken to, but she figured that as soon as the gunners stumbled on the corpse left behind, they wouldn't transfer prisoners there anymore.

Transfer; they saw Garrett 'transfer' her. If he showed his face to the gunners now, they would know he was a traitor. And how was he supposed to pay those privates his cut now that he helped her escape? How did he find out that it was Nick they were off to rescue? He would have had to chat with Blue. How did he convince Blue to take mercenaries with him? Did that 'if they make it back alive' mean Garrett implied permission to kill them? But he said he cared about the grunts... None of this made sense! Then there was the matter of the kidnapping itself; why hadn't Blue fired if it was another gunner that took Piper? That confused look-

...Meant Blue _recognized_ Garrett.

_"One of the boys used too much gas, you're probably still groggy and nauseous."_

_Ugh! _The nerve of this asshole! Did he really believe he could get away with that story? If only she paid more attention to the faces and tones so that she could spot and sniff out his lie just by looking at him. They were going to have _words_ when he was awake.

In fact, they should have words right now! He didn't deserve any of this and he certainly didn't deserve to hug her.

But she really liked this hug.

How and when had she fallen so low? She should not have been so cheaply bribed and appeased in this manner. She was supposed to kill this man as soon as she got out of that complex, and here she was; all heart pounding thoughts and fierce blushes just because of some cocky asshole - who didn't have the smallest scrap of decency to wear his freaking clothes - was rubbing up all over her. She was a woman of high standards and morals, and god almighty _save her_ from these horrible thoughts she was having of him.

Garrett's hand caught the hem of her shirt, and he shifted again until he'd damn near squished them together. Was he trying to merge them into one or what? There wasn't any more bloody room. She twisted her torso with the intent of waking him up, to complain of the heat; it was totally the weather's fault. Then she spotted something on the ceiling.

A _bloodbug._

"Oh, fuck," she hissed, and Garrett stirred. She hastily shimmied until she faced him, ready with her fakest fucking smile to greet him with the fakest fucking cheer. When his sleepy eyes fluttered open, she took his hands and guided them under her shirt, pressing it against her stomach. It was clear what she _wasn't_ thinking with. "Morning, dollface."

Dollface? _That's_ the best she could do? Fucking dollface. Since when do scruffy men have _dollfaces?!_

"Mornin'," he yawned, and he didn't seem any the wiser nor in a rush to wake up. Good. _Good._ Now how could she convince him to get a move on without spotting the fat bug on the ceiling? He twisted his wrist and grabbed one of her hands, lazily dragging it up to his lips as he gave her knuckles a weak kiss. It made _things_ buzz inside, and this wasn't the fucking time because there was a very real threat just above their heads, and they were going to get their blood sucked out and Jesus Christ, that bloodbug's stabby thing was _massive._

"C'mere already, I don't bite, luv." He wrapped his arm around her head and pulled as he shifted closer, drawing her until her cheek pressed to his chest. She inhaled sharply and held her breath, warmth flushing until white noise hummed in her ears. It was fight or flight, and he threw everything into chaos with his cursed obliviousness. "Never reckoned I'd like this so much," he murmured, stilling her internal screaming for a fleeting moment. Pressure rested atop her head.

He had to stop this or she was going to _implode._

"Garrett, we have to keep moving. Let's go outside."

"In a minute. Just relax. I can help with that."

Relax? _Relax?_ He would be shrieking like a girl if he saw the bloodbug, and she was trying to save him from eternal night terrors! But then one of his hands meandered over her hip and snuck under her shirt, stroking the small of her back. It sent tiny little tingles up and down her spine, fueling a growing _ache._

"Garrett-"

"Shh... Won't do nothin' y'don't want, don't worry."

"No, it's not that. _And don't shush me. _You know it never works." Piper chewed on her lip when his eyes fluttered back open, staring at her with mischief dancing in the gunmetal orbs. She made the mistake of looking up at the ceiling, then slapped her palm over his eyes when he tried to do the same. "Garrett, _please_ trust me when I say you definitely do not want to see what's up there right now. We really should move." Because even if she shoots it, then a gigantic bug is going to land on her and then it's guts will get all over her jacket and _ugh!_ She shuddered at just how gross thinking about it all was.

"That's not what I think it is, is it?" Garrett asked pleadingly, hushed and tensed and horrified already. She rushed to the rescue.

"No, it's not at all what you think it is. Think of happier thoughts."

"Piper-"

"Think of happier thoughts," she urged, climbing up into sitting as slowly as possible. "And close your eyes." He clung to her with a death grip and she winced when his fingers dug into her hip. She swung a leg over him and leaned to grab her pistol _just in case,_ and bit back a groan when pain laced her as he grabbed her waist. His eyes were squeezed shut as tightly as possible, and she almost smiled, until she heard the flicker of a buzz as a wing beat against the ceiling.

"Piper," Garrett hissed, "that's definitely what I think it is."

"No it's not. That was my zipper."

"You ain't wearin' yer jacket!" Did he forget he _unbuttoned_ that before? Think, what was the next best thing with a zipper?

"P-pants!"

Oh.

Oh, _no._

One wretched blurt, one word taken horribly out of context. Or in it. Piper was screaming inside, and she choked down the urge to punch him when his breath hitched, and his mouth curled in a wicked smirk. "This isn't the time," she growled, and when she tried to get off of him, he held her hips down. She braced a hand on his chest before she lost her balance, and her gaze made the mistake of roving down where she had straddled him. Something grew _hard_ beneath her, and her throat ran dry. There was an undeniable thrill that shot through her and it pushed her over the edge, frustrating her beyond belief. She twisted up and aimed at the bloodbug, then squeezed the trigger.

And scrambled off of Garrett in time for him to be the one hit by the corpse.

Piper walked out of the shed with a sadistic smile as girly shrieks echoed behind her.

**x - x - x**

No amount of bathing could cleanse Gat's mind of the _nightmare_ that descended upon him. He scrubbed himself furiously with an old dish rag, but he could still _feel_ the guts splashing all over him. "What did I do to deserve that?" Gat mumbled sullenly to nobody but himself, wading out of the small pond before he'd grown sickened from radiation next. That was really all he needed now, to never stop puking _and_ have the runs.

Every time he thought back to why Piper did what she did, his mind immediately honed in on _before_ she did what she did.

_"Think of happier thoughts."_

Yeah. That wouldn't be an issue, thanks to her _supplying_ happy thoughts. Hot blood pounded behind his cock and he groaned when he looked down, _King Arthur_ proudly at attention. He had to get back to camp, to her; it was too dangerous for her to be alone, even if she could handle herself - but he wouldn't know what he'd do if anything more happened to her. When would the wasteland leave her alone? Could it even be called karma getting payback, if she was a goodie two-shoes? He was wasting time - _stalling,_ more like, and looked down at the mini-butler.

"The things I do for you, luv," he sighed dejectedly and closed his eyes, summoning terrifying images of needles and bloodbugs to kill these urges; but it wouldn't erase the images burned vividly in his mind, of her lips, of her hips, of her straddling him and the wonder of what she'd look like if she _bounced_ off of him instead.

"_Fuck..._" Gat grabbed his clothes and ran to the pillar of a broken bridge, stealing a quick look around it to see where she was. She was by their humble campfire, writing, looked like. His back pressed against the pillar and he tossed his clothes aside, stroking himself quickly to get his end away before she'd drive him mad enough to pressure her into doing something she may have wanted, but may not have been ready for.

When would she be?

If only she would let him touch her, to start slowly, maybe roll up her shirt and kiss her stomach. That was innocent enough, wasn't it? He'd make sure he wouldn't do anything she didn't enjoy; he pegged her as someone who'd like to play a little rough, or wouldn't _mind_ it anyways, even if she wouldn't instigate it. That sweet exterior didn't fool him. She was still hot and smoky inside, the cigarette hiding inside the box of sugar bombs.

"Fuck, now I'm turnin' into her... Stupid words..."

Pictures, he needed ideas. He had plenty of them but he didn't know what to choose. He'd _love_ to head over there as he was now, to entice her like this, but he reckoned she was the kind of woman who needed her mind seduced before her body. This teasing game he played on her was driving him crazier than her, though.

Gat groaned when pressure built, and he stroked with an almost desperate need, thinking of burying his face in her neck as he buried _himself_ deep inside of her, to break her hips with his. He imagined them up at his safehouse on the bridge, overlooking the entire wasteland, taking her from behind as she held on to the railing. Nobody would ever see them. Nobody would ever hear them. It would just be them in their own little world, and he'd fuck her over and over and over again until they were _sore_ from it all and-

"Garrett?"

No.

"Are you okay?"

_No, no._

"I thought I heard you groaning. Did you get radiation sickness?" Boots crunched twigs and he froze, utterly paralyzed. The words died in his suddenly-parched throat and he couldn't even croak for her to _not look,_ even when he had ample time to. He gaped like a dumbass as she rounded around the pillar, his cock still twitching and throbbing in his hand as it demanded release. Piper's gaze held his for all of a split second before it dropped, and her face flushed beet red.

"Piper," he rasped weakly, licking dry lips. "Sorry, luv, I just... Uh... Well as y'can see I'm fine."

"_Clearly,_" she muttered under her breath.

Gat smirked. "I'll be there in a minute or two."

"Y-yeah! No worries, I was just worried if something happened to you! Um..." She was still _staring._ "I'll go back now." And _staring. _"T-take your time."

"I don't want to." The blurt came without thinking, and Garrett released himself as he approached her. Her gaze snapped up to his, fear in her eyes, and he shook his head. "I'm not going to do anything to ya, and I promise that, luv. I made that promise to myself when I put my pa in his grave; that I'd never be like him." He took her hand and made sure he used the one he stroked _himself_ with, guiding her back to camp with wicked laughter in his head. Her palm was sweaty, and he had a devilish plan to get her all hot and bothered, to torment her with _nightmares_ as she did to him with that wretched bloodbug.

Revenge was going to be perfect.

"I never promised _you_ couldn't do anything to _me_, though," he husked, and gently pushed her down to sit on a tree stump. He casually threw some tinder to feed the fire and left to collect his clothes, struggling not to cackle like a maniac when he returned to the campsite and found that she hadn't even moved a _muscle._

Good. She was petrified in fear.

Although it kind of sucked to see just how big of a hurdle he really had before him.

Gat dumped his clothes aside and clasped his wrists behind him as he stood before her like a soldier. "You're the reason why I keep havin' this problem, Piper."

"Garrett, _please,_ don't tease me like this," she mumbled, staring at the ground as if it's the most interesting thing in the world. She brushed her hair behind her ears, red-tipped ears, her pretty face illuminated by the campfire. It was giving him way too many ideas when he'd imagined her leaning just a little forward, wrapping her lips around him.

God, it honestly _hurt_ to know nothing was going to happen.

"I'm not teasing you, luv. This is a genuine problem."

"Garre-"

"Let me finish, please, manners and shite." He knelt down to her level and cupped her chin, tipping her head up as he lowered his to catch her gaze. "Y'don't just cross my mind. You _live_ in it. I want you so fuckin' badly it hurts; I promise the real thing ain't as scary as it seems right now, and once we cross that line, you'll be wonderin' why we didn't do it sooner. You're not in danger. Last time I checked, and y'can tell that was pretty bloody recent, my cock wasn't a radscorpion or bloodbug."

Piper's eyes widened, and then she burst out laughing. Gat grinned. "See? That's what sex is all about too; or that's what I want, anyways. We're gonna have laughs. We're gonna make mistakes, and I like t'think that yer doin' it with the wrong person if y'don't. Everything else is fake. It'll be just like the first time we kissed, luv. Promise." He rose on a knee and kissed her, trying to restrain himself from possessing her mouth as if he was going to strip her down right there.

He'd be a liar if he said the thought hadn't _lived_ in his mind.

"I dream 'bout it all the time," he husked between kisses, "I don't ever stop wondering: how would she taste? How would she look? How would she sound? I'm addicted like a fuckin' junkie on chems or somethin'. I want to make you scream, luv. I want to drive you crazy." He bit and tugged on her lip, forcing a gasp from her. It made the hair on his nape rise and his voice dropped lowly. "I want to fuck your brains out and make you claw my back, and not give a shite 'bout hurting me. I want you to lose yourself in it all, to stop overthinkin' things and just do what you _need _to do."

Fingertips shyly brushed him, and he glanced down as her hands seemed to war with where to go. She hooked on his shoulders. Nails pricked him, and he tore himself away before he broke his promise. He wrestled his cargos on, the rough fabric chafing painfully; it didn't change a bloody thing. The tension building and buzzing under his skin was going to make him explode if he didn't get away from her and sought to get his end away.

"Garrett..." She sounded disappointed, or at least that's what he wanted to hear. Knowing her, she was likely just worried.

Gat shook his head. "Sorry for pressurin' you. Didn't mean to." He sucked in a slow breath and closed his eyes, trying to summon images of the creepy bloodbug again. He combined it with things like super mutants, making bugs the size of Diamond City. It was like cold water crashing down his back and he shivered.

Or was that the touch to his arm, setting his skin on fire?

"Garrett." Piper said just a little more sternly, still trying to find her own footing. She circled around him and framed his jaw as she rose on her toes, kissing him deeply. Her fingers wove in the back of his hair and nails scratched his scalp, sending little tingles down to fuel the thrumming in the pits of his belly. He groaned when she paid back the favor and bit his lip hard enough for him to taste a hint of his own blood a moment later, and she became more forceful, confident to have goaded something from him. She broke the kiss and pulled her jacket off, tossing it on the pile where his clothes were.

"You're not pressuring me," she confessed, a bashful note tinging her tone. "I'd be a liar if I said I never thought of the same things, or had a couple dreams."

Validation. She _had_ wanted him that way. Well, he had an idea that she did, and he hoped she did, but to hear it was a different matter. "So then...?"

"I'd... Like to try. I'm still nervous."

"A healthy regular routine will fix that right up."

"Oh Garrett," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Let me make one thing clear. I only have one rule: if I say stop, you stop. Okay? Promise me."

"Not a problem." He would play by _any_ of her rules, he didn't care. "I promise I'll stop soon as y'say it."

"Good."

...So why did he have a bad feeling about this?

Piper stepped away for some reason, and she stripped her shirt next. It sashayed to the ground and instinct propelled him forward to reach for her, to touch her, to kiss and bite and _blemish_ every single patch of skin. He gently grabbed her ribs, still lightly bruised, and slid across until his thumbs rested under the curves of her breasts. He hoped that in the next five minutes, he could persuade her to shed her bra, then the rest of her clothes, then be fucked right _here_ on the dirt ground. He hoped he could make her forget she was ever nervous about this and demand that he move inside of her faster, or harder, or _slower,_ or whatever the hell she wanted. He was game for every idea and curiosity and **need.**

Finally, after all these excruciating days of fantasizing what he couldn't have, _finally_ he would get a taste of it. Just as he'd been ready to push her bra up, her hands clasped over his wrists and drew his gaze up to hers. Though her meek burning face did little to cement the image of a confident woman, her word made certain to cement the reality of the devilish sinner hiding inside a saintly woman.

"_Stop._"


	18. Fire to Embers

_**Chapter 18: Fire to Embers**_

* * *

"I mean, you did say you never promised _I_ couldn't do anything to _you._ That means teasing is fair game too; and it's revenge for all the times you've teased me." Piper happily put her shirt back on with absolutely no remorse whatsoever. She turned around to ignore the _temptation_ nagging her, but she was certain she was going to have horrible, _horrible_ dreams tonight. She laughed when Garrett made a makeshift sleeping bag with his clothes and laid _face first_ in the ground, groaning in misery.

She couldn't stop staring at his... _Cheeks._

"This is not fair at all, luv. Here I am, givin' it my best effort to turn ya on but keep ya comfy, and then y'backstab me like this. I deserve a medal for this, I do." The way he whined like a sullen baby, muffled by his shirt, was just too much. Piper nibbled on the flesh of her cheek as she went around the campfire, taking out one of the sticks where a chunk of mole rat had been roasting. She sat by the fire to watch over the other stick, chuckling when Garrett kept sulking. "Holding myself back is really, _really_ hard, Piper. Especially from a lass like you. There really ain't nothin' more I want to do for ya than make y'feel good." He turned his head with a devilish smirk. "No caps necessary, service is free of charge."

Well, that was sweet, in a way; his way. And definitely naughty, in the way she kind of sort of maybe really liked a lot... Though how he was so comfortable with the idea bewildered her a little; not that she hadn't expected it from a _lad_ like him, but the degree and air of nonchalance, well... It bugged her just a tiny bit.

"And I appreciate that," she mumbled, taking a bite out of the meat; dry and chewy. Oh, what she would _do_ just to have her stash of sugar bombs and deviled eggs. "I understand all that, Garrett, but... Um..." Would _he_ understand what she wanted, the way she understood what he wanted? He was still a bit of a mystery when it came to sentimentality's sake. He still wore the bullet necklace, and he seemed extra careful with it now that it hung out in the open.

"But?" Garrett pushed himself up on his elbows and looked over at her. Heat steadily pounded throughout her entire face when her gaze would snap to his _cheeks_ first every time she looked in his direction, but she conveniently blamed the fire for that. It only proved her point. Since she met him on the very first day, he never cared about his body; which she eventually understood _why_ if it wasn't 'sacred' anymore, but... He was so comfortable with nudity that it just wasn't...

"Special," she blurted, rushing when his eyebrow arched in confusion. "I mean I want it to be special. I don't want some random passionate romp in the middle of nowhere. I mean, passion's nice, and I'd like that, b-but..." Where was she going with this? And why _wasn't_ he grinning mischievously? There her hair went, rising on her nape, his intense gaze boring into her.

"D'ya still wonder if I care 'bout you, luv? Or _how_ I do? Be honest now: d'ya think all I want is sex?" Garrett wormed his hand under his clothes and pinned it to him as he rolled to sit up. Finally, _finally_ he had some decency and modesty to spare her from seeing that. She took another bite out of the mole rat and stared at the chunk on her stick as an excuse to solder her eyes anywhere but on his, nodding guiltily.

"Sorry..."

"Don't be, y'got reasons for feelin' that way, yeah? Just means I haven't given reasons to make ya believe otherwise; and I been real pushy with gettin' ya hot and bothered." Garrett hastily wrestled his pants on before he came over and sat beside her, taking the other stick of mole rat. "A girl's bound to get the wrong idea if that's all she's got to work with, just means it's my fault for not givin' ya more to work with and expressin' it right."

Silence fell on them as they both focused on eating, and Piper processed and thought and over-thought every single thing between them. She stole a sideways glance, and her gaze dropped to the bullet dangling forward.

"And I mean, no word of a lie, it is somethin' I like to think about a lot, Piper. Ideas all the time; doesn't matter when, doesn't matter where. Even when y'were cookin' the mole rats, I was thinkin' how nice it'd be if we were cookin' with _love,_ if y'know what I mean." She wished she didn't. "But I mean it when I say I think 'bout this because, t'me, I think it's the best way to express how y'feel about someone. Words are nice, yeah, but that's all words are, like y'said yourself. I wanna look in your eyes when I'm buried inside you, when we're movin' together and feel every bit of each other."

Lord almighty, he could make the blue sky blush with his brash honesty.

"And I mean, even sayin' that right now? It won't compare to the real thing. Feelings will always trump words for me. Y'can talk all day, and I like yer voice, but I like all the other little things about you even more; the way y'brush your hair behind your ears whenever you're nervous, or roll your eyes when y'think I'm lame, or punch my shoulder when I tease ya but it's the kinda tease that ya _like._ And I want more. I wanna learn more about you, to find out who 'Piper Wright' really is at the core."

Garrett tossed the stick over his shoulder as he turned to her, taking hers away and throwing the leftovers away. He slid a hand around her nape and gently pulled her in for a kiss, mumbling against her lips. "I wanna see the side of you and the quirks _no other man_ will ever get to see, the side of you you wish you could be. I'm a greedy man, luv. Those are my terms; non-negotiable. I won't settle for anything less than your best... And your _worst._"

Hands scooped under her knees and she yelped in his mouth when he suddenly lifted her, taking her to the haphazard pile of clothes. He kicked dirt into the campfire to simmer the flames and cautiously lowered her, leaving her no chance to protest or process anything that was happening when he hovered above her, kissing her like it was his last.

"Now, I know y'want it to be special and I get bein' out in the open ain't doin' it for ya, but I wanna make _you_ feel special." He pulled away to look her in the eyes. "Can I?"

"D-depends how," she mumbled, and looked down when he slowly rolled up her shirt to expose her belly. She chewed on her lip when he straddled her knees and hunched down, mapping her abdomen with his lips. He slicked his tongue and trailed along the subtle lean coils of muscle, drawing a shuddering breath from her as she laid her head back and closed her eyes.

"Good, just relax, luv. Let me take the lead for a little bit and just focus on how y'feel. Don't think 'bout what I'm seeing, or smelling, or thinking. Just think 'bout what you're seeing, and smelling, and thinking. Get lost in it all, but lemme know if it ever gets a bit too much. All good, innit?"

Piper nodded, nibbling on her tongue as she choked down the urges to gasp or squirm whenever he'd alternate between light touches and hard bites. It slowly brought her to the edge and kept her there. Her hands moved with minds of their own as they sought purchase in his hair, goading him to grunt when she accidentally pulled. She shivered when his tongue dared poke under her waistband and slid across her lower belly, making goosebumps break out on her skin as a dull throb grew between her legs.

"Gar-"

"Too much?"

What a hard question. She shook her head, then nodded, then shook her head while nodding. Her lips spread in a thin smile when he laughed, his forehead dropping on her belly. "Alright, I know what t'do with that." Good, at least someone did; even though she knew he was sarcastic. He slithered up and rolled her shirt down, their hips intimately pressed together. She flushed at the feeling of _something,_ which shall not be named, poking her. "Just over clothes, then. Still good, yeah?"

"Ye-" Piper winced at how hoarse she sounded, swallowing to soothe her parched throat. It still came out as a shell of a whisper. "_Yeah..._"

Garrett was smiling against her neck; she could tell, with how easy it was to differentiate between scratchy beard and warm lips. Frustration built and buzzed under her skin when he stayed true to his word and touched over her clothes. She nearly choked on her own breath when he squeezed her breast, then let go and stayed in _innocent_ areas. It happened again, except his hand snuck down and dipped between her legs, running a lone finger against her.

"Garr-"

"Too much?"

God, at least let her finish. And _'finish'._ He sounded disappointed, but all she could think about was how much she wanted to _burst._ Instinct latched on his forearm and she bit her lip when she'd realized she pressed his hand against her. She was too shy to look him in the eyes and closed hers, wondering in the back of her mind how she'd ever get to that comfort level that he stated earlier if he was ever... _Erm..._ 'Buried' in her.

Heat flushed and she swore her face had caught fire when he'd inhaled sharply; but he didn't ruin it with saying anything, and drew gentle circles against her. She needed **more. **She barely felt much and struggled to keep her pelvis as it was, when his touch wasn't enough to appease the ache.

Garrett's breaths teased the shell of her ear, kissing the tip as his voice dropped seductively, low and rough as rocks. "I don't have the words t'say how you look right now. Help me, luv?" There was the faintest hint of a hitch in his tone that had been engraved in her brain, through _trauma,_ that he was teasing her again.

"A tato?"

Chuckles hit her nape and sent a rush of shivers down her spine, chased by electricity. His beard scratched her cheek as he nuzzled closer, gently biting her ear lobe like a weirdo; pain briefly zinged down, and she was caught off guard when he pressed _hard_ against her. Piper shut her lips to trap her gasp inside, suffocating it in the back of her throat. Her eyes fluttered open and she glimpsed down at the muscled forearm hard at _work,_ and she realized her hands themselves were clawing into the dirt.

"I was thinkin' things more like cute, but still hot." Garrett dipped over and kissed her cheek, lingering. She guessed what was coming when he smiled. "Literally."

"Uh huh, so much for not having-" Piper cut off and bit her tongue when he'd interrupted by pressing on a sensitive spot, focusing all his attention there as he'd used the lightest friction from the clothes as possible. She was absorbed by the building pleasure, and there was a delay in _registration_ when she heard a zipper. She didn't stop him when his hand snuck under her pants, slow and hesitant, silently asking for permission as he cupped her with the tips of his fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter and nibbled the corner of her lip as he slid over, teasing and alternating between circular motions and pressing _in__side _through her underwear.

"How's this? Not too much?"

"_Not enough,_" she blurted, and she threw in the towel the second her brain screamed about what an idiot she was. There weren't any take backsies. She reluctantly opened her eyes and looked at him, surprised that there was no hint of mischief in his features. She worked up enough courage to press his hand against her again. "Please, before I change my mind."

"Didn'tcha want it to be special, luv?"

Okay.

What the hell was this?

Their roles have reversed; shouldn't he be the one egging this on and her the reluctant one? Piper cupped his cheek and slid her hand to hook behind his neck, pulling him until their foreheads rested on each other. She angled and claimed his lips, hoping she somehow conveyed her thoughts and feelings through the kiss. She gasped when he snuck a finger through the side of her underwear and rubbed her bare, shooting a wave of tingles up her spine.

"I want our first time _together_ to be special," she clarified as best as she could, trying to ignore the sinful finger that found the sensitive spot all over again.

"Are you sure you want this, then? Is it still special? Are we not together?"

God, could he not take a hint?

"This _is _s-" Piper clasped her lips shut to muffle a groan. It was forced out of her when he slid his hand under her underwear and slipped a finger inside of her, pumping rhythmically as far as the fabric stretched and allowed him. White flashed behind her eyes as the pressure built faster, and he kissed her, swallowing her hitched moans. She shifted and lifted her pelvis just a little, whimpering in his mouth when he curled inside of her and _pulled._

And _pulled..._

Out.

Garrett completely withdrew and Piper almost burst in her skin, outright glaring at him the whole time he scrambled up. Realization dawned when he rushed to his bag of guns, and adrenaline flooded her with a sense of panic; but a certain _kind_ of panic may have skewed her priorities. She rushed to zip up her pants, cussing under her breath when the zipper got stuck.

Laughter suddenly exploded in her world, and she twisted awkwardly as if she was some kind of fucking worm. She stared at Garrett, who for some reason, was running away.

"Just kidding, luv!"

"Just... Kidding?" Piper pushed herself up on her elbows and looked around, but the wasteland plains were as still and silent as could be on any night. Faint gunfire caught her attention, and she mused to herself if that had always been there or if it started now; but there were no threats that she could see, and doesn't remember Garrett assessing and looking and... "Just _kidding?_" Piper growled, and screamed at the top of her lungs, uncaring if this would put them on the radar of a potential 'threat'. The only threat right now was to his life.

"I'm going to **kill** you, Garrett!"

**x - x - x**

"Piper-"

"Don't talk to me."

"But-"

"Don't look at me."

"Just-"

"Don't even breathe near me, _Gat._"

Gat sighed. "Seriously, yer gonna be usin' Gat now? Ain't that a little cold, luv?"

Silence answered him; the cold shoulder treatment again. He hoisted his duffel bag up on his shoulder and jogged to catch up to the woman who never showed the faintest hints of exhaustion as she marched on with her head held high. His thigh ached, even though it'd been _mostly_ mended, but the scar on his palm began to throb. That was his own hint: rain was coming.

"We oughta take shelter, Boss. It's gonna rain soon; might even be a rad storm comin' our way and I don't think ya wanna get caught up in that."

"I know perfectly well what I want, not you."

"Chris'sakes, could ya slow down for a minute? Just lemme _speak._"

"You lost that chance when you ran away after what you did to me."

Okay. He got that maybe he didn't really think things through to pull off what he intended. Maybe he should have even tried her way of doing things, talking it all out with fancy words and thesauruses and whatever else reporters like; but he's a man of action. Granted, he should have actually planned out his actions, but everything with her never went according to plan. She wasn't some job or target to snipe. Even when she was a job in the beginning, everything he'd ever thought and planned for never happened.

But _still._

"Just let me speak," he caught up with her and grabbed her wrist, standing his ground when she twisted to him with a downright _chilling_ glare. Cold sweat threatened to break out, and he smiled nervously, blurting. "Y'could scare a deathclaw off right now." And grimaced at his own-

"This is the _worst_ possible time you could choose to joke!"

"Right, I get that, just-" Gat tugged her roughly when she tried to free herself, grabbing her shoulders. He ensnared her in a hug, ignoring the fists that weakly beat against his sides; he knew what kind of damage she could actually do if she really wanted out. At least, that's what he hoped. "Just listen to me, Piper. _Please?_"

"No. I'm done doing this. I'm done playing games. I'm done being toyed around with by some asshole-"

"Y'said you wanted it to be special, that's why I ran away, luv. That _was_ our 'first time together'. You want it to be special and... I want ya to _feel_ special. That wasn't the way."

"And you decided that _after_ you worked me up?"

Gat bit his tongue before he blurted the first thing off his mind, as he always did. He wasn't going to say what he did was a good idea; but then that implied what he was doing to her wasn't _good._ He was stuck in a rock and a hard place, failing miserably at choosing words when there wasn't much of a selection to begin with. He sighed and bit the bullet. "I wasn't thinking things through, and that means it wouldn't'uv been special."

Piper sucked in a noisy breath.

Yeah.

He was in_ fatal _danger.

"I just want to find Blue," she muttered numbly, "I'm tired of this rollercoaster ride with you. Rollercoasters are supposed to be _fun,_ or at least..." Her voice dropped into the quietest mumble, and he had to angle his head, arching his brow and gaping like a dumbass as he tried to understand what it was she was even saying into his chest. "That's what the books say..."

Gat bit his tongue before he fired off another stupid comment, but it didn't stop him from smiling. She wasn't like any other person he'd ever met before; she wasn't a warmonger, or a businesswoman, or some dumb lass who didn't give two shits about educating herself. Knowing just how big she was into books like him had been one of the very few things he found it _impossible_ to say 'no' to. He had to hide his smile before she saw it though, and so buried it at the top of her hat as he kissed it.

"They are. I've read that _too._ We could always head to Nuka World someday and try it out. I caught a broadcast before when a couple of the privates were messin' with the radio; so if it's still being broadcasted then somethin' is bound to work, right?"

"Oh, yeah," Piper snorted, "I'm sure it'd be working and _perfectly_ safe. Seriously? I don't even trust if a 200 year old floor isn't going to collapse under my feet. No way am I hopping on a ride." Another weak punch, but she soon clutched and twisted the sides of his shirt in her fingers. "Don't change the subject, asshole."

Great. Not only was she back to calling him Gat, but she was back to calling him Asshole too. If Mr. Handy came out to play any time soon, he knew the only option left was to let time turn the fire into embers. Hopefully she knew he _meant_ what he said, though. It took all of his willpower not to be pushy and continue to confront the issue, as he always had with any problem that _dared_ come in his way, and pulled away from her. "I'm sorry, luv. I really do mean that." He patted her shoulders, resisting the temptation to squeeze them. Not that it was much of a fight with that paralyzing glower.

The stuff of _nightmares._

"Alright then. Let's go find Cowboy, Piper."

Piper whirled around and marched away, all agitated again, yelling. "You don't get to call me Piper anymore either, Mr. Handy!"

Gat's head dropped in defeat.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Thank you very much to Pinson Linson and the kind guest who left such encouraging reviews, I appreciate it and I think I can speak on behalf of all authors that it's always a relief to hear if a story is decent! I can only hope that you still said 'totally worth it' in the morning, guest :P I miss pulling those kinds of all nighters myself, but sometimes it was a real struggle in the morning trying to decide if it was worth it or not. I always tell myself no.  
_

_And then do it again anyways the following night :P_

_In any case I apologize that this chapter kind of ended on a bummer note! I don't think characters are infallible, and Gat definitely has his fair share of mistakes in the past, present, and future. I think Piper's reaction is justified because, seriously, who would even be happy after that :P it's not going to be **that** kind of teasing game between them... Yet ;)_

_See you in the next chapter!_


	19. Teach the City

**_Chapter 19: Teach the City_**

* * *

Cricket was here. The moment her gaze met his, her eyes lit up and she already laughed, all jittery and excited. Gat cast a sorrowful and _mournful_ frown as he shook his head, thumbing at the woman he was trying to keep up with. Piper hadn't even caught their exchange, too busy to storm into the city; probably before the gates closed on her again.

_"I'll be back." _Gat mouthed silently, holding up two fingers. Hopefully Cricket would still be here in a couple hours, or bump into each other again if their travels take them to Bunker Hill. The stoned merchant seemed to pay no mind and shrugged as she turned around and inhaled a round of jet. He watched Piper warily, not daring to broach her and cross into no man's land. Again. It was a wonder she hadn't kicked him to the curb or asked him to leave her alone, at least, not yet.

That had to mean _something,_ right?

"I'm going to check on Nat first," Piper announced, never even looking over her shoulder to see if he was still there. She had to have known somehow. She had to be listening. She had to be _caring._ Chris'sakes, he should not be as hung up over this as he was, but he'd been starved of _all_ contact and communication for the past day they've traveled. At least she was finally saying something to him now, but he didn't know if that meant _permission_ for him to respond and acknowledge he heard. It may have been testing boundaries again, but he chose to say nothing, hoping she would look back at him.

She didn't.

"I'll... Be at the Dugout," he resigned, biting back a sigh. He learned the hard way that expressing any sort of disappointment or annoyance was a **big** no-no around her.

Which he understood.

But _still._

They went their separate ways, no matter how much he wanted to draw her closer. He wanted to kiss her to _show_ his sorries if words weren't enough. That was also a **big** no-no. He slowed down before he rounded around the church and watched her disappear in her house, ignoring the pastor that was staring at him. The moment the man moved towards Gat, he marched away before he was confronted; that preacher would be traumatized just hearing of his sins. Besides, Gat was being punished enough and he didn't need the possibility of some omnipotent being shitting on him from the heavens too. He had enough dumped on his mind to hog a whole landfill.

Reluctantly, he head to the Dugout, but wandered past, meandering in the city and observing people. Nobody made eye contact; if they did, it was for two seconds _at best. _Everybody here had dreams, whether alive or dead. Everybody here at a beating heart, or at least, a synthetic one. They wore weird clothes, had weird accents, and weird mannerisms, and _un-_weirdly enough, no manners. Only one bloody daft and determined woman in this entire fucking city had them.

Why? How? Who taught her? He wondered if he'd ever get the chance to meet the man she spoke briefly about before, the one who apparently taught her 'right' from wrong. And there was a whole lot of wrong; it was just _easier_ to follow, to blame in the name of survival.

"Why the heck m'I even gettin' these thoughts? Not like she'll ever introduce me to him. Would be outta her mind bringin' an arsehole like me home." Gat sighed as he raked a hand through his hair, then stuffed his hands in his pockets as he took a shortcut through an alleyway and eventually made his way back to the market. He stood and watched the hustle and bustle, the hundreds of people going about in their lives, so casual. Hadn't they understood how his world was fundamentally changed by the one woman who was fighting for all of them? Maybe not with guns, but he'd read a couple articles. They should have been admiring her as much as he was. His gaze honed in to a woman at a noodle bar who'd used an article as a _place mat_ instead.

Without thinking, his feet carried him over to her and he wormed through the mass of stinky bodies.

"Oi." He tapped on her shoulder, and pushed another man off the stool beside her as he sat down and rested his head on a fist, smiling as sweet as he _wasn't_ going to be to this arsehole. He jerked his chin to the article when the woman shot him an annoyed look. "Yeah. Now y'know how I feel 'bout using that for yer fuckin' dirty food. How 'bout y'have some bloody manners and respect the woman who wrote that for _your_ sake? She's teachin' this city how to stay the fuck alive."

"Who the fuck are you? Piss off, creep, or I'm calling security on you."

"Go ahead. See how much I care." Gat knocked over her bowl of noodles and swiped the article out, holding it up at her face. "Spread the word that there's a newsboy in town. If I ever see another arsehole pulling this same stunt, I won't be this_ nice_ twice." He marched away and disappeared back into the thick crowd of bodies the moment the woman's mouth opened to make good on her promise. His blood was boiling, but he slammed a lid on his temper and escaped back to the outskirts of the city, heading to the farm.

A subtle smile tugged on the corner of his mouth when he looked at the 'great green wall', still looking as fresh as the day they'd painted it. He hopped up on the mayor's podium in the exact same spot he remembered her sitting on, sassing him with her stupid nuka-cola as she smirked and chased her straw. His blood boiled hotter and tingles buzzed in the pits of his belly. He wouldn't ever forget how much he wanted to _take_ her right then and there.

"Fuck, killin' me and she ain't even here."

Story of his life.

Gat forced the memories out of his mind as he studied the farmers, noticing a _very_ familiar one who wore a frightened expression like a glove, every time their eyes met. He slid off the podium and decided to give the farmer, the _thief,_ ease of mind and left the area, absentmindedly rubbing the scar on his palm as he wondered where in the world he was supposed to go next, or for how long. Would Piper find him? Should he go back to her? How long would it take to check on-

"Nat?" He blinked, confused to see the girl playing at the playground with another girl and boy. He approached the playground and waved with a tight thin-lipped smile when Nat noticed him, and the girl stuck out her tongue at him instead.

"No stinky adults allowed, or I'll pop your knee cap with my sling shot!"

"Threats won't get you anywhere with me, but I like how ya think," he chuckled. "Show others who's boss, kiddo."

"I'm not a kid, and I'm showing _you_ who's boss!"

"Nah, that's your older sister." Gat invited himself in and noticed how the other two children stayed a safe distance away from him, but Nat came up and punched him in the gut. He pretended it hurt and grabbed his stomach, dramatically dropping on his knees. He laughed when she rolled her eyes at him. "Christ, y'two are so like each other, it's almost scary."

_Another_ Piper running around in the world? Save them all.

...How involved in their lives was their dad? The question prompted a chain reaction, and he hadn't thought to keep it to himself, tumbling out of his mouth. "Hey, where's your dad?"

Something shut off in Nat's eyes. Her demeanor changed from spunky kid to tough girl, distant and closed off. Her eyes dropped to the ground and she shrugged as if it didn't hurt. "Where'd that come from? Anyways, I dunno. He's buried somewhere." _What?_ "I dunno much about him. Piper says he was a hero and saved some little village we used to live at. I believe it. She wouldn't lie... But... Yeah." Another shrug. "He died when I was a little kid."

"Still little."

Another punch. It had more force in it, more _anger._ Gat backed off, but didn't know what to say. Instinct guided his hand to ruffle her hair. "Your sis is lookin' for ya, by the way." He stood up, closed off, unperturbed by the little hands swatting his away from her hair. He took off and marched to Piper's office, barely picking up Nat yelling for him to let her sister know she was okay and she'd be home in an hour. He waved over his shoulder to acknowledge it and picked up the pace, breaking out into a full on run.

What the hell did he even want to do, or say? He didn't know. All he knew was that he **needed** to see her, and he stormed in her house, zipping up the stairs when he heard her startled yelp. A pistol was aimed at him, but it was lowered when she recognized him. She was sitting at her terminal, red _puffy _eyes and scared shitless, a myriad of expressions flickering through her face. He didn't give her a chance to realize her inner commitment to give him the cold shoulder, and yanked on her wrist to pull her up into a fierce hug.

"Everythin' about you makes sense now," he murmured in her neck, squeezing her tightly even when little hands patted his shoulders to ease up. He didn't. He couldn't. There was no way he was going to let go now. Her pistol clattered on the desk and eventually, hesitantly, her arms wound around his waist. There was a world of difference between them, and a terrifying similarity at the same time. He wove his hand in the back of her hair and held her as he sighed. "I'm not the only one who had to put my pa in a grave."

Piper tensed. Her voice was so quiet, he had to strain to hear. "Nat told you? _Why?_"

"I asked; random question, I know. Your dad's been on my mind lately. Dunno why, but I wanted to meet him, 'cause... I dunno that either. Just wanted to." And now he would never get the chance. He'd never get to thank the guy who actually raised a _human being_ instead of an animal. Gat sighed and reluctantly extracted himself to give her space, tearing himself apart inside when her puffy eyes grew even puffier. They were sheen and it accentuated all the colors in her eyes, but this wasn't how he wanted to see all of them. He rubbed his nape as he stepped back, guilt tainting his tone. "Sorry for droppin' that on ya outta nowhere."

Piper cleared her throat and sat back in her chair, all dainty and composed. That rasp quality in her voice screamed _full of shit._ "It's fine."

Yeah, right. No it wasn't. Nothing about this was 'fine'. He didn't dare antagonize her even more, though. Silence draped over them, save for the key strokes as she typed away at her terminal. She cleared her throat again, and she withdrew her hands as they fell to her lap. "Um, so where's Nat? Is she playing with her friends again?"

"Yeah, I bumped into them at the playground." He caught the sideways glance, the question brewing in her eyes. "Was walkin' around the city and went to the podium for a bit. Saw her on my way back to here."

"Okay." She resumed typing away, her gaze never straying anywhere near him; his _hint._ She made it painfully obvious just in case if he didn't get it. "Could you please go close the door downstairs? I don't think you did."

"Which way d'ya want me to close it?" Gat hated how pleading he sounded, and for a moment, he was relieved she looked at him, brow pinching cutely in confusion; then he ruined it all by shooting himself in the god damn foot when he ought to shoot his mouth off instead. "D'ya want me to close it outside, or inside?"

Piper turned back to her terminal, her teeth worrying her lip momentarily. She shook her head with a sigh. "Inside. _But!_ On one condition." Her finger whipped up at him, the _wrong_ finger, since it ought to be the middle one; he was too bloody excited to care and came to frame her jaw, leaning over to claim her lips. He poured every ounce of himself into the kiss as if it was his last, because it _ought_ to be too. She was a saint. She made _sense._

Gat scooped her up from the chair and swallowed her yelp in his mouth; she hadn't pulled away from him. That had to mean something, just like how she wanted him to stay, right? Was it right to do this? Was it okay to kiss her like this? Whether it was or wasn't, he honestly couldn't care. He got to, and he was going to savor every last bit of it until he wasn't allowed to anymore. He carefully lowered her on her bed and _charged_ downstairs to close the door, locking it as he toed off his boots. He stripped his shirt as he ran back up and tossed it over her terminal, straddling the _tato _by her knees.

"I'm makin' it up to you, luv. Anything you want." He grabbed her hands and rested them against his chest, encouraging her to curl her fingers in. "Scratch me up. Hurt me. _Love_ me." He took her hat off and donned it himself instead, then grabbed her by the hips and lifted her up until her legs were freed from beneath him. It was so easy to move her around, so _light,_ and he wrapped an arm around the small of her back as he adjusted her to wrap her legs around his hips. He hunched over and sucked on a growing hickey on her neck, the inner sinner smirking away when she gasped and sank her nails in his chest.

"Let me love you," he husked, trailing kisses up to her ear. Were those the words she wanted to hear? She wanted _special,_ though, and he wanted to make her feel special; but he wanted to turn her on even more. "Let me _fuck_ you. Let me make you scream and claw my back as I move inside of you, and make you feel things you never have before." He reached down and blindly unbuttoned her jacket, sneaking his free hand under her shirt as he dragged blunt nails down her ribs.

Cusses tumbled out of her lips, and her face was aflame. Her chest kicked shallowly and he scooted her up until their intimate parts were pressed together, so that she could feel just how badly he wanted her.

No.

"I _need_ you, Piper. I was going batty without you talkin' to me. I need to hear you. Don't be mad at me anymore, _please._ I'll do anything you want to make it up to you. Nothing's the same without you. Didn't wanna do anything when we went our own way and all I did was go to the spots we worked at to remember _you_ before this bloody silent mode. Let me love you, luv."

"Garrett-"

_Yes!_

"Please. Manners and shite."

"Interrupting people is not polite."

They paused and stared at each other, both their breaths ragged and hot. Gat couldn't believe what she was saying _now,_ of all bloody times, and _had_ to ask to clarify. "Are y'seriously teachin' me a lesson right now? Seriously. Right _now?_"

"Well, yeah." Finally, _finally _a smirk danced on her lips. "You never let me finish."

"I will now." He grabbed her hips and dragged her up against him; something inside of him _broke_ when she gasped and looked down, and he groaned when he did it again. The pleasurable friction was enough to get his end away, given time, but he was determined to let her take the reins on this and be the boss she deserved and hopefully wanted to be. He gently laid her back down and hovered above her. "I won't do nothin' you don't want."

But please, if there was a god, _please_ give her the confidence to touch him sometime soon.

"I bet that list is short though. Good for us, innit? We have an hour until Nat comes home," he climbed off of her for a moment, rummaging through to get her green scarf. He set her hat on the drawer and turned around, bouncing the scarf with a wicked smirk before he tied it around his eyes. "I always get the feelin' you're screamin' inside every time I look at you. Will this help you feel more comfortable? If y'ask me, ain't got nothin' to worry or be self-conscious about. You're a beautiful lass."

Silence, again. Then the bed creaked. Two little hands slipped around one of his, and soon they hooked on his shoulders, safely guiding him to be the one that laid on the bed. He nearly choked on his own spit when she sat on his stomach, excruciating inches away from _King Arthur_ ever getting any sort of attention. A finger trailed down between his pecs, curling and raking a nail down the ridges of his abdomen. He hissed and his muscles tensed, his jeans tightening almost painfully so. His pelvis bucked when a daring fingertip brushed over his cock. His zipper was undone and she'd done it again, but only over his underwear.

Jesus. There _was_ a god.

"This is so fuckin' hot, but the god damn clothes needa go..." He grumbled in frustration, and then a _horrible_ realization dawned at the next words that tumbled out of his mouth.

"I think I know how you felt, luv."

Oh.

Oh, _no._

There was a sadistic smirk on her face, wasn't there? He wasn't brave enough to lift off his blindfold and check. He didn't have to. He could fucking _feel_ it.

Breaths pattered against his lips. "That's not all I'm going to make you feel," she whispered. Fingers intertwined in his hands and encouraged him to lift his arms up, wrists knocking against the bed's metal frame. His heart surged to race at his fucking throat when something chilling slapped over his wrists, and an audible rattling _click_ echoed in his ears. He'd know this sound anywhere. He used to be the one that did this. He pulled his wrists out, but they were locked down against the bed frame.

Hand cuffs.

Just kidding. No god.

"Piper, _plea-_"

"No." Her hands rested on his chest, only to push off of him. There wasn't any more weight on him whatsoever. He felt a thin sheet drape over him instead, and listened to the _terrifying_ footsteps that clunked down the stairs, to a creaky door opening. "Behave when my sister comes home!" She expected _him_ to behave? "I _will_ shoot you if you scar her!" Well, there was the incentive, at least. He believed she would and wouldn't hesitate.

There was no way Piper was going to leave him like this; she had a bleeding heart, and she wouldn't be stupid enough to leave _him_ alone with a little girl that also resided here. It had to be a bluff.

Except it wasn't.

"I'm going to the Dugout for a couple hours. Cya later!"

"Piper, don't fuckin' do this to me!"

Laughter was all he could hear as it faded away outside.

**x - x - x**

Piper very much enjoyed her victory drink and the smug smirk on her face was a permanent addition for the night. Her heart was still pounding wildly over what she'd done, and she was honestly _sick_ to her stomach, at the time, when she slapped the cuffs on Garrett. There was a dizzying and heady rush of power, and all she did was sit on top of him.

It would be a lie if she said she never dreamed of that, though, apart from all the naughtier ideas he'd given her. She idly rubbed her legs together at the thought of him behind her as she held on to her press machine in the trailer, their _'s__ounds'_ echoing. It wasn't an idea she'd ever actually do, because people would _hear,_ but that didn't mean it wasn't an enjoyable fantasy.

God, just how depraved was she now? It was his fault.

Piper bit the tip of her thumb for the pain to take her mind away. She was supposed to be tormenting him, not the other way around. She took out her notepad and scribbled ideas down for future articles as she slowly nursed her ale, wishing she'd have something stronger; but that _motivation_ existed only in the form of a drinking competition with a certain mercenary. She still had mixed feelings and was still upset with what he did to her, but at least now she got the perfect pay back, and it better teach him to never pull off the same stunt ever again.

It felt good to be bad; it was a nice break from being polite to the rudest god damn assholes on earth, spitting on her and treating her like trash. Validation wasn't what she was in the business for, but would it kill the people in this city if they didn't insult her? Even now, there was some jerk-lady using her article as a place mat.

Ugh. Forget it. No confrontation. Don't spoil the victory drink. She helped herself and took a sip.

Only for it to _fly_ out her mouth.

"Oi! What the fuck did I tell you 'bout using that for yer food?! D'ya got bricks for ears?"

"Piss off, creep! God, just leave me alone and let me eat in peace and - ew! What the fuck?!" The woman's eyes lowered and a sharp pang of jealousy shot through Piper when she realized _what_ was being stared at. A hot blooded rush surged straight to re-ignite the embers in the pits of her belly. "Get away from me, pervert, or I swear I'll call the guards on you!"

Piper turned in her stool and stared in disbelief as _Garrett_ got into a petty argument with the woman, both snarling at each other like animals. He used his typical go-to intimidation technique he did everywhere in this freaking wasteland, using his height and posture to tower over and appear imposing. That'd work, if not for broken _hand cuffs_ on his wrists. The chains dangled, and Piper roared with laughter, drawing everybody's attention - and insults. She reacted quickly before Garrett picked a fight with the _many_ people who didn't like her, packing her writing tools before she hopped off the stool and grabbed his hand. She dragged him towards the inn rooms, fishing in her coat for caps to slap in Yefim's palm.

Privacy. A fatal mistake. The second they were alone in the room, Garrett turned the tables and lifted her by her waist, propping her up against the wall as he pushed between her legs and held her thighs against his hips. She flushed when she felt how hard he was, and his beard scratched her cheek as he sucked on her skin between teeth, biting to leave even more bruises.

Something told her she was going to be needing to wear a scarf for _practicality's_ sake from now on.

"You're pretty flexible here," he murmured, accentuating it with another hard bite. "That'll come in handy."

"Garrett, _plea-_"

"No."

Sounds of zipper**s** echoed inside her bloody brain and her pants was rolled down, rather awkwardly, until it bunched up close to her knees. She froze when he'd done the same, except rolled his underwear down until... _That _sprang free, and pressed it against her, poking through her underwear. He was just a thin layer of fabric away from being buried inside of her, and it nauseated and _thrilled_ her just to think about it. He grunted when her nails sank in his shoulders, and he kissed her possessively, catching the tip of her tongue between teeth the same moment he thrust against her.

"In five minutes, and that's all I'm giving you... You're going to unlock these cuffs because my wrists are _killin'_ me, luv. Twisting and snapping the chain really hurt."

Right.

Okay.

She was expecting something else with the way he started that sentence.

"And in ten minutes?" Piper asked, surprising even herself. He pulled away to look at her, his rugged jaw set in a smirk that promised nothing but _sin._

"It's my turn to give a lesson. We're going to teach the city _my name._"

* * *

**_Author's Note_**

_S0UL SURVIVOR - thank you, I will keep that offer in mind! As you can tell I'm still in the 'romance' stage more so than the plot stage, the sequel to this story will be more plot/lore intensive so it may be a while. But thank you again and I hope you continue to enjoy!_

_KSM - I appreciate your enthusiasm! I do try my best to acknowledge since it's the least I can do when reviewers take precious time out their day to share their opinions with me, whether good or constructive criticism (I don't view one as inherently 'bad' unless it's painfully obvious it's just a troll who wants to make someone feel miserable)_

_Castle - I love you. LOL. Seriously. I love you. I didn't want to rip it off completely but also didn't want to warp that to the point it was unrecognizable. I'm very much looking forward to the scene of trying to find a realistic situation for Gat someday (it may not be in this story, but the sequel) in which he teaches kids about how people actually 'die' and disappoint the kids for not dying in a cool way :P Black Lagoon will forever be the best anime in my heart. I haven't checked on it in a while to see if it's restarted but I will when I get extra free time!_

_Anyways, sorry this AN was so long! I try to keep it short and sweet, so I apologize ahead in the future if I come off as rude for not writing a mini-story in the AN here haha. Hope you all enjoyed and see you in the next chapter!_


	20. King Arthur & Queen Guinevere

_**Chapter 20: King Arthur & Queen Guinevere  
The warning we love - **NSFW, hope you enjoy!_

* * *

"Stop lookin' at King Arthur like it's a radscorpion comin' to sting ya, luv. You're makin' _me_ nervous now."

"King Arth-" Piper's eyes probably bulged out of her freaking skull, and she gaped at him in disbelief. "You named it?!"

"Well, yeah." The way he said that and looked at her as if _she_ was the weird one already had her blood boiling, as if he had a hidden _'duh' _in his tone. "Doesn't everyone?"

"No!"

"You don't have one for your minge?"

"N-no! And don't call it that either!"

"Gotta call it something. You should, you pay a lot of loving attention to it." That was some assumption. "It shouldn't just be lady bits. You're not being very nice to yourself, luv."

How was this a legitimate scolding right now?

"Let's think of a name for your lady bits then."

"Let's not."

"Well, mine's King Arthur, and if ya ever happened to read that book, his wife was Queen Guinevere."

"Garrett, please stop." She was so turned off right now. Like, just put her down and let her walk away. There was no talking this through like mentally sound adults. "And also, she cheated on him later with Lancelot, one of Arthur's most loyal knights."

"What? No! Not Lancelot, he'd never do that to the king." Well. He did. "That wasn't in the book that I read!"

"There's more than one book on that legend," Piper's lips thinned and she tried not to laugh at how sullen and heartbroken this freaking man looked. He had no talent for judging the time and place of these things. Here they were, getting all _lovey dovey,_ and instead he has an issue about some old legend rather than how 'King Arthur' was free and proud. Her core worked in overdrive to balance herself as she reached up and patted his cheek in cheap comfort. "So no Queen Guinevere."

"Well now that I know that, I'll make sure I'll kill Lancelot before he plays tricks on you and abducts you and-"

"If anything he'd be the one freeing me since _you're_ the one who kidnapped me."

"And before he pretends he's such a nice bloke and tricks you by playing like he's such a nice guy by freeing you from the guy who had to kidnap you to save you."

Piper sighed and rolled her eyes. "You _really_ want this name, don't you?"

"It'd work perfectly!" That puppy-eyed look shouldn't belong. It really shouldn't. That should be for begging for something cute, or maybe even a new fucking gun. Not this. "Please?" Somebody kill her. "I'll do whatever y'want. Queen Guinevere will feel like a very special lady tonight, especially during rumpy pumpy."

"Oh my god." Piper let go of him completely, not caring that he'd have to work twice as hard to keep her against the wall, and buried her burning face in her hands. "How are we even a thing? I don't understand this at all; maybe that's why the Queen went with Lancelot because he was actually _normal._"

"I don't believe that." Warm lips skirted over every single knuckle until he landed on her cheekbone, paving a path to her ear. "We're a thing because you like it." That was another bold assumption. "Know you'll never admit it; too dainty and _manners_ for that, that's why y'like me, innit? I'm what you want to be." No, no, she was pretty sure she wanted to be nothing like this man. 100% positive. But then he pressed against her and stretched her legs up when he'd cupped his hands under her knees, and she hissed. He bit her earlobe, growling hotly. "Just think of how that's going to feel when I fuck you, luv. I've got _a lot_ of ideas of what I want to do to you. Your dreams got nothing on me."

What was with all these assumptions?

...Even if they were _right._

Piper latched on his shoulders and crossed her ankles to hang on his hips when he started to move, shimmying along with his pants at his ankles as they awkwardly made way for the bed. The same bed she slept in with him, and a plethora of confusing emotions were unlocked by the simple memory. She had panicked so much before, disgusted over the belief that she had sex with this unruly man, and now just the thought was enough to get her hot and bothered. He swung her legs over and laid her down like some fragile princess, then stepped on his pants and pulled himself out, stripping his shirt and her scarf to be tossed away and abandoned for the night.

"I'm gonna keep saying this, and keep asking, luv. I won't do nothin' y'don't want, but y'actually gotta tell me, alright? I ain't up to snuff on my mind-readin' skills." He laid down on his knees, and she tried not to look at _King Arthur _in his glory, still standing tall and proud. "I wanna try, if you're up for it too. I don't wanna work ya up again if y'don't think you're ready to go all the way today."

"I-I..." Piper bit her lip and forced her eyes to be up on his. Was there ever a time she'd sit and the rationale part of her mind would say she was ready? It wasn't, but the last time he'd worked her up, she was _so_ ready to get release. It was all she wanted, and she never wanted anything more. She looked down again, contemplating, only for him to break her from her intense reverie with a chuckle.

"Think yer the only weirdo who actually stops and thinks 'bout this shite."

"_You_ are calling _me_ a weirdo?" Piper huffed, and sat up with the intention of cutting this jerk off what he clearly wanted, and nothing more.

...Maybe that wasn't fair.

But he _was_ pushy for this.

But he also explained why.

But there were other ways to express feelings.

But he was a man of action.

But, but, but. She could come up with them all day, torn between two sides as the heart and mind waged war. She threw it all up in the air as she leaned over and hooked her arms around his neck, pulling him until he'd come up and hovered above her. His beard scratched her jawline as he kissed her neck, tender and slow, prompting her confession. "I'm... Not sure, Garrett. I want to try, but I'm nervous."

"We'll take it one step at a time. I'll ask you before I do anything, that sound fair?"

"No," she blurted, "my brain is gonna fry if you do." She squirmed, embarrassed, when he laughed; the sounds filled the room, blocking out the rowdy noise just outside their room. There were _people_ here. A city full of them. They would hear. They would know what she sounds like in her throes of passion, and then she'd have to apologize to Yefim again for them driving off customers and-

"See that look in yer eyes, luv. What's on your mind, what's got y'freaking out?"

Piper bit her tongue before she admitted anything, but she knew he wasn't the kind of man to just give up and call it a day. That intense gaze bore into her again, making her feel as if she was utterly naked and vulnerable. She closed her eyes and shook her head, honing in to the hand that slowly rolled her pants down the rest of the way, caught at her ankles. Her heart kicked in her chest when he took them off, and pushed the flaps of her jacket aside. The hand cuffs rattled and reminded her of what he asked earlier, and fear went into overdrive - it had to be nearing to _ten minutes _by now, right? Were they really going to teach the city Garrett's name?

"One sec," he murmured, and the bed creaked as the weight and warmth left her. She dared open her eyes to see, catching an eye full of his muscled back, lean coils moving seamlessly with every little movement. Just what the hell was he doing to even get in that sort of shape? Sniping didn't require that; not that she was complaining, but she had a feeling there was more to him than she had yet to learn.

And it hit her: she didn't really know much about him at all, and he didn't really know much about her at all.

"I want to know more about Garrett Butler first," she blurted as he picked up her scarf, and her brain already concocted naughty ideas all over again. He froze, and so did her heart; that wasn't a good reaction. She silently thanked god when he picked up his pants next, pinning it to _King Arthur_ before he turned around and smiled sadly at her.

"S'pose to turn ya on, luv, not make yer bleedin' heart a cryin' heart too. There's a reason I ain't tell ya my life story; not everything is meant to be told."

"You don't need to protect me, I can handle myself. You think I do what I do in search of happy stories, to try and trick myself that the wasteland isn't all that bad? No. The truth is hard and the truth is cold, but then we know how to make things better because of it."

"Think y'can make me better?" Garrett tossed his pants aside and climbed over her to lay on the other side of the bed; she was absolutely _horrified_ when he used her scarf to cover himself, and her mind immediately made it worse when the image of a pitched tent accompanied what she was seeing. He flicked her nose with a chuckle, then came up on his elbow and twisted to steal a kiss. "You should see how bloody shocked y'look right now. Look on the bright side, luv; it's not icky sweat. Reckon you'll like this once King Arthur and Queen Guinevere get chummy."

"Oh my god, please stop talking." Piper groaned and fell down on the bed with a huff, reaching up to bury her burning face in her hands again. She resisted when his hand curled over her wrist and tried to pry away, but she was overpowered when he'd lifted it enough to steal another kiss against her cheekbone. Something thin and soft draped over her legs to her midriff, and she peeked down to see him tugging a sheet over them.

So he _had_ known the definition of modesty after all. He just chose not to freaking care about it. Duly noted, jerk.

"Well, I wager y'already know my pa was a right arse. Wasn't my first kill, thanks to him. He taught me how to shoot and 'hunt', yeah, but we were huntin' people. I still remember as a daft kid that he'd tell me the blood that sprayed from 'em was just red paint. That they were playin' dead, that it was just a game. He made killing _fun_ for me."

Piper dropped her hands, turning her head ever so slightly to study his expressions. His gaze was soldered down at their feet and never moved, his eyes hard and _dead _and feral, the multitude of greys and subtle blue hues molding into one monotone and dull color. "Here I am, happy to dig a grave for my pa, and on the other side of this fuckin' wasteland is a lass cryin' while diggin' one for hers." He raked a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Think that's the most fucked up part about this."

"Did he know you were about to kill him?" Piper asked tentatively, ignoring the lump that grew in her throat over her memories. She still remembered how much her hands ached and blistered from the shovel and the splintered handle, the world that blotted and grew misty, making her hammer her own thumb when she tried to build a little cross to mark dad's grave. She looked down when Garrett's hand slipped over hers, tightening painfully. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yes. Because I didn't just kill him. I paid him back for all the times he..." Garrett's jaw flared, teeth grinding. His neck rippled and he brought her hand over to his lips, kissing her knuckles, then brought it to hide his eyes. Her heart sank when she felt something wet. She sat up and twisted, weaving her fingers in the back of his hair as she drew his head to her chest, and she almost wished she never asked anything at all when this strong and tough and _disconnected_ man finally broke down crying. She knew he'd hate himself for it, even if she'd tell him it took real courage to show vulnerability. She kissed the top of his head and kept stroking her fingers through his hair.

"This whole fuckin' wasteland wasn't as messed up as him. _Family, _Piper. Who the fuck does that to family? And it wasn't just me. He did it to my sister too. We're only in this fuckin' world 'cause he did it to our mum, and kept doin' it before mum killed herself to stop poppin' out more fucked up kids like me."

"You're not-" her voice choked off and died, and she struggled to keep up with the overwhelming information that poured out of him, as if the dam broke.

"Now I gotta lie to my niece, 'cause she looks like me, since I look like that sack of shit. That's what my sister has to look at every time she sees me; so I don't visit often."

"Lie to your niece?"

Garrett stiffened, and he didn't pull his head away from her. He clutched her waist with a bruising grip, taking a shuddering breath. "She thinks I'm her dad." Silence fell, and then he laughed bitterly. "She thinks her 'dad' has a legitimate career, that I'm off makin' our caps in some honorable military as some high rankin' soldier. She's all over that shite like how I was. Mister Gutsies and soldiers and all that shite, she found my army hat too. I gave her the Handy I grew up with; my _real_ dad. A fuckin' robot. Pathetic. You were right all along, eh? Had me pegged from the start." He sighed, then scoffed resentfully. "_Mr. Handy._ Y'must think I'm pathetic now, too."

"I don't. I think you're brave." Piper whispered softly, squeezing her eyes shut as tightly as possible when the world grew misty again. It came full circle; just this snippet of information, and he made _sense. _She raked her fingers and gently scratched his head, feeling him slacken and relax over time as his breathing returned to a relaxed rhythm. She tightened her hold when he tried to pull away, burying her mouth as she breathed warmth into his scalp. "Stay with me."

"M'neck's crampin' a bit, though."

"Oh, sorry." Piper pulled away with an apologetic smile, already missing his warmth when he extracted himself. His gaze was glued to the bed, never lifting up to meet hers, but she expected that. If only he could believe she really didn't think that he was 'pathetic' or something to be ashamed of. She framed his cheeks, but he resisted her when she tried to tilt his head up. "Look at me, Garrett. Please? I want you to see I mean every word I'm about to say."

"You always mean your words," he mumbled, reaching up and fidgeting with the bullet that hung from his neck.

"**Garrett.**"

Piper smiled warmly when he sighed, stealing peeks up at her first before he'd avert his gaze to _incredibly_ interesting things in the room. She drew him in for a kiss and lingered against his mouth, waiting until he finally looked at her again. "Everybody is just doing what they have to, to survive. But you didn't just do that, for yourself or for your family. You made sure you never turned into _him._ That doesn't make you weak, or pathetic. That makes you the strongest man I've ever known."

"Besides your dad."

"Besides my dad," she lilted playfully, chuckling, happy to goad a subtle smile from him.

God above, the man she couldn't figure out before made so much sense now that it _hurt._

"So... Is there anything else y'want to know about me?" Came the hesitant inquiry, and she decided to give him a break before too much of this overloaded the poor man who probably wasn't used to navigating any of his emotions. She didn't want him to feel worse than he already did, and sought to take his mind off his haunting memories as she kissed him, playfully squeezing his thick forearms; they might as well be his biceps.

"Yeah. What the heck do you do to have these? I never see you working out. How do you even get bulky here? I write all day and my arms are as thin as my pencils."

Garrett laughed against her mouth, pressing hard until he pushed her to lay back down. "Years of climbing, luv. Remember that place I told you about that I wanted to take you? It's a bridge, broken off on both ends. I set up a safehouse up there."

"...So you expect me to climb up a _bridge?_ I can't make it to a safehouse if I _die_ trying to get there."

More laughter. Good. _Good!_ They were on the right track, and she was spurred on by his mirth. She grinned with pride when he peeled away to look her in her eyes, the myriad of greys and blues dancing with life again. "I built an elevator." He was handier than he let on; maybe he wouldn't mind building some stuff for her office? "Climbin' it was just to get materials up there. Always loved climbing, though; best views in the city that way. Great way to enjoy a beer during a sunset."

"Just so you know, this is _never_ happening with me. Not even if you tie me to you."

"Dream destroyed," he sniggered, "maybe I'll figure out how to fix up a camera and take pictures for ya. Tease you that way."

Piper froze for a second. She also thought of a camera on this very bed, but to take a picture of his ugly sleeping face. It drove the point home with how far they'd come, and her feelings were only growing stronger by the day. It wasn't something she could deny or excuse away anymore. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, claiming his lips possessively. She twisted until he rolled and they shifted so that he laid on his back, and she took out the keys from her jacket before she stripped it off and tossed it aside. The entire time, her scarf covered _King Arthur,_ thank god. And not.

"Give me your wrists." Piper unlocked the cuffs, rubbing his red and chafed wrists as she shook her head and smiled at him. He simply shrugged.

"Totally worth it, to be here." He kneaded her hips, and she gasped when he squeezed her rump, pulling her up higher until she sat over _that._ He grinned devilishly, pumping his hips against her. "Good eve, Queen Guinevere. Care f'some tea?"

"This is _not_ becoming a thing, Garrett."

"Oh, this is totally becoming a thing, my love."

Piper froze for another second. She stared at him, and something rattled inside as it screamed to be let out. "Excuse me?"

"...You're excused?"

How was he confused? Did he not just hear himself?

"What did you say just now?"

"Uh... This is totally becoming a thing, my love?" Garrett's head cocked to the side, and he arched his brow. "Oh. I see. I call you luv all the time, though. Like since the beginning."

"Well, yeah, but..." Piper still stared. They were a thing, weren't they? She didn't know. "Um, so are we like... Dating?"

"What?"

It was a simple question, wasn't it?

Garrett started laughing, sparking a defensive barrier to be brought right up. She was about to retreat and get off of him until he sat up, framing her jaw in his calloused hands, and kissed her. "Even before I kissed you, you were mine, luv." The first or second kiss? "Now I know y'don't like to be treated like a 'possession', but that ain't how it is with me. You're not an object, but you're mine. Plain and simple. No other man will ever have you, because I'm your first and your last." He leaned back, mirth dancing in his eyes. "I can't believe y'gotta ask if we're boyfriend and girlfriend. Was it really that bad, up to this point?"

"Well I don't know! You're always confusing me!" Piper beat a fist against his shoulder for teasing her like this, and then she huffed when his chuckles skipped against her mouth again. "For example, and I am giving you this hint, _free of charge. _No caps necessary." That ought to drive the point home for him. "Boyfriends should be _gentlemen _who don't make fun of their girlfriends. You shouldn't even be allowed to kiss me right now."

"But I am, because you're a saint." Garrett smiled, moving with an utmost tenderness with how he handled her.

She loved how his kisses never stopped.

"Good, you're learning. Compliments and obvious flattery will get you _very_ far with me," she joked, beaming proudly with how much easier it became to make him laugh.

"Compliments, huh? I'll do you one better." _Of course _he did. Would their competitive spirit ever take a break? "You're not just my girlfriend, luv. You're my Queen." He leaned back as he grabbed her hips again, dragging her along his hard length. She hissed and clung to his shoulders, looking down to see that the scarf was already pulled out from between them. When had he even _done_ that? The tip of his penis showed, and his index finger slid along the waistband of her underwear, then slipped between her legs. "You're not just the best part of my life, Piper. You _are_ my life." He stretched her underwear out to the side until they were pressed to each other, bare, and all she could do was watch as her heart hammered in her throat.

"And you were right. The gunners would have never taught me why I'm alive or give me the kind of life I've always wanted. But you did." He encouraged her to lean up as he pulled on her waist, rolling her underwear down to her knees. "Because your life is the life I want." He sat up to help her pull it off one leg at a time, then her shirt, then her bra; everything was peeled away without resistance, and... It wasn't as scary as she thought it'd be. She looked up at him, face _throbbing_ with heat, especially when he leaned down and took a breast in his mouth. She gasped when he bit gently, sliding a finger against her until it sank inside.

What preparation her mind screamed to have, it wouldn't get. She'd grown impatient and pulled on his hair to force him to look up at her, and lowered until she felt the hot pulsing flesh against her most intimate parts. She wanted the fear gone. She wanted to feel him, to feel everything he said before. She lifted up on her knees as she kissed him, whimpering when his finger found it's way back inside of her, thrusting rhythmically. It wasn't enough.

"_More,_" she whispered, "I want to feel you."

"Like this? It might hurt mor-"

"I trust you."

"Piper," he sighed, pulling away completely. She glowered at him. He better not be thinking of another 'just kidding' all over again. "I'm gonna be honest, luv. I'm nervous too." Yeah, fooled her. "I don't wanna hurt you. Are you seriously a virgin? Can you like, _not?_"

"How is this a legitimate problem for you right now? You were just happy to be the first and last. Should I go find some random guy right now?" The taunt worked wonders, and Garrett's nostrils flared as his chest puffed up, all protective and possessive. "You're not going to hurt me. I mean, it will hurt, and I knew that. But it's just for the first time, right? It's not going to hurt every time." He still seemed hesitant and torn, his hands running up and down the sides of her thighs. She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Jeez. I love it how I'm always the one comforting you when it should _clearly_ be the other way around."

Silence fell, and it worried her when Garrett suddenly felt like he was far away. The tortured look in his eyes tore her heart apart when he met her gaze. "I'm afraid of being like-"

"You won't. You never will be. Do you hear me?" She framed his jaw, coming down stern. "You aren't and will never be _anything_ like him." She leaned down, hovering just an inch away. She waited until his eyes fell to her lips, then she smirked, steeling herself for the words that were going to feel as foreign rolling off her tongue as it sounds in her mind. "Love me, Garrett. Make me scream and claw your back as you move inside of me, making me feel things I've never felt before." She caught his bottom lip between teeth and bit hard enough for him to hiss, and his hand clamped down on her waist. She glanced down and saw him position himself, and she lowered until she felt the tip sink inside of her. She braced herself, murmuring her last words before she kissed him.

"_Fuck me._"

Garrett stopped her from dropping down, squeezing her hips and pulling her up even when she tried to push down. Frustration built and she was ready to snap, until he finally lowered her inch by inch. "I promise I will, luv, but come down slowly first. Give yourself time to adjust to me." The coils of muscle at his core rippled as he leaned at an angle, then laid back down and watched as he entered her. He stopped and she felt some sort of barrier being pushed and poked uncomfortably, and she rested her hands on his stomach. He looked more scared than she felt.

He really _did_ care. She was an idiot for ever doubting him.

"Are you sure, Piper? This is the part that's going to hurt."

"I'm ready." Piper took a deep breath and steeled herself, holding on to him for dear life. Her fingers curled and her nails sank into him as she pushed all the way down, squeezing her eyes shut as she choked down any sound that tried to rip it's way out of her chest. Tears leaked out and she wanted to tear away instead. He sat up and kissed her softly, a stark contrast to the intense burning pain below. He caught her off guard and hit her right in the heart again.

"You're the reason I'm alive, Piper." He grabbed her hands and placed them on his chest, and she could feel rapid heartbeats fluttering beneath her fingers. He kissed her again, and again, and again, even when the pain had long subsided. And then he shifted his hips up into her, coming deeper inside of her, filling her completely, _perfectly._ Something deep rumbled in his chest, and his head dropped to her shoulder as he sighed. "You feel better than I've ever dreamed of. _Warmer._" Was that even a thing? He felt just as good, even if it was pressure so far; but fulfilling, like a puzzle piece fitting together. "I'm going to move now. You ready? Is it still hurting?"

"It's not, no. It's just... A lot of pressure." Piper looked down at where their hips were joined together, and a small breath kicked out her chest when he moved. She didn't know how to, though, squeezing her inner thighs to lift herself up. She held on to him for dear life when she'd nearly lost her balance, and smiled sheepishly when she looked up at him. "Um... How do we do this?"

"Like this. Let me take the lead on this one for now, Boss."

Boss. She was still the boss, even now, even with him taking the 'lead'. Just how had his logic made sense to him during times like this?

Garrett wrapped an arm around the small of her back and held on to her as he swung his legs over the bed, moving until he'd rolled her on her back. He rocked in and out of her at a sensuous pace, nice and easy, pleasurable shivers chasing after the building pressure every now and then; but it was a different kind of pressure, deep inside.

And he pulled out.

"No..." Piper groaned as she looked down, ignoring the way her cheeks flushed at the erotic sight as he stood at the edge of the creaky bed. There was no way nobody was about to hear them. She couldn't find it in her to care.

Garrett cupped underneath her knee, stretching her leg until he pinned it off the side of her stomach. He entered her carefully again, leaning over to kiss her nose. "Gorgeous."

"Even with my 'bloatfly tits'? Don't think I'll ever forget that."

"Even with your bloatfly tits," he grinned wickedly. So much for getting him to apologize for that. "Bloatfly tits and radscorpion cock, it's like we were made for each other."

"Please stop."

He laughed. "Am I turnin' you off now?"

"More like _scarring_ me for life." She gasped when he hit a sweet spot and looked down, watching him pump inside of her. He stopped and guided her chin up to meet his eyes, and he slammed inside of her even rougher, making the bed creak. She barely bit her moan back in time and reached for a pillow, but he let go of her chin and pinned her wrist to the bed instead.

"Don't hide," he pleaded, "love the sound of your voice, luv. Don't take it away from me now." God, he knew how to drive a hard bargain; always the greedy man. She'd been both mortified and aroused by the sounds of their wet flesh _slapping_ together, echoing. He lifted up her hips and pulled her to him every time he thrust, and the angle made white-hot electricity lick up her spine. That deep pressure slowly turned to pure pleasure, and she raked her nails down his stomach, making his muscles dance at her command as sweat collected on their skin.

"_Fuck yes,_" he growled, his hips slapping aggressively into hers. He stretched his legs out as he laid above her, his rigid body melding against her. He locked eyes with her, and it was as if nothing else existed beyond this room. There was no one but the two of them in their own little world; the noise outside was drowned out by their ragged breaths and rasped cusses.

"Come closer and kiss me already, please," Piper whispered, holding out long enough until she could muffle her moans in his mouth. His calloused palm chafed her wrist, but it was a burn wholly welcomed as every single sensation rose and threatened to overwhelm her. There was too much going on everywhere else, and it steadily drove her to the edge. A coil tightened inside of her, ready to snap every time he drove himself inside of her to the hilt. There were times he'd hit a _delicious_ spot, and she tried to angle her hips to help him find it.

But he pulled out _again._

"Garre-"

"I'm sorry luv, I have to. Gimme a minute to get my end away to be safe." He stroked himself relentlessly and she flushed hotter as she watched him come, spurting on the sheets just between her legs. She panicked when he reached for her scarf and she tore it away from him, glaring.

"You are _not_ using my scarf to wipe yourself. Use the sheets. They're stained anyways."

Dear god, it sounded so fucking weird to hear those words coming out of her own mouth. Garrett didn't seem to even register them as he complied, wiping himself off, and didn't give her any time to prepare as he stretched her legs out and entered her again. He stole the scarf and wound it around her wrists, pinning her arms above her head as he fucked her roughly; it was reminiscent of a dirty little secret, a seductive dream that paled in comparison to the real thing. Really, why _did_ she wait this long? He leaned down, his stomach smacking against hers, biting her ear as he husked all sorts of dirty and sinful promises.

She wouldn't ever admit how much she loved to hear them.

Every promise pushed her ever closer to the edge, and she'd barely had time to react before instinct took over. "Garrett, I-I'm...!" Pleasure peaked and blinded her suddenly, snapping the coil. Her back arched as she reached her climax, overwhelmed by the euphoric waves that crashed down on her. Her pelvis rocked with the motion, and she choked out his name in a broken moan when he still fucked her through it, never relenting. He didn't release her wrists and hunched down to catch a breast in his mouth, biting as hard as he thrust inside of her. She chanted cusses, and the coil wound tight again until it snapped faster, a second orgasm rocking her to the core.

Garrett slowed and sensually rocked as he softened inside of her; an almost disappointing end. She wanted this moment to last forever. He let go of her wrists and unwrapped the scarf, caging her head between his elbows as he kissed her passionately, murmuring against her lips. "You're not just the reason I'm alive. You make me _come_ alive, luv." There was a sense of urgency in his words, rushing out as if he **needed** to get it all out right this second. "Thank you for letting me be a part of that."

"Who replaced you? You said you're not good with words," she teased softly, eyes fluttering open as the last vestiges of the tremors inside of her faded away. She loosely curled her arms around his shoulders and drew up into an embrace, uncaring of how sweaty or stinky they were. She kissed his temple and relished in the moment, in his weight and warmth, in how safe and _loved_ she felt. "Thank you for trusting me with this part of you."

"Heh. I should be sayin' that to you, angel."

_Angel?_ That was new, and she didn't believe it; not that he didn't mean it, and she got that he was being sweet, because he actually _was_ and Jesus did it ever take a ton of digging just to finally find this part of the man and bring it to the surface, but... She was just a normal girl, trying to do the right thing. There was no divine intervention or providence; sometimes she wished there was. Maybe she wouldn't have made half as many bad calls as she had, in her life.

When Garrett pulled away, his gaze dropped to her neck and he smiled nervously. _Uh huh._ Yeah. Here came trouble.

"How bad is it?" Piper asked, clearing her throat when it came out hoarse. She was parched and craved a whole pack of cigarettes, but there was still time for that. She clung to his waist when she felt him withdraw. "Stay with me. Don't go, yet."

"Alright. Guess I'll take my nap here then." Garrett's body squished her as he dropped all of his weight, and she laughed as she tried to push him off to no avail. "Y'make a bloody comfy pillow, luv."

"Get off before you crush me! And you still didn't answer my question. Is my neck really that bad?"

"Uh, let's just say, hypothetically and all yer fancy words that... People are prolly gonna think a deathclaw tried to choke you to death."

Oh, _no. _This couldn't get worse.

Piper blushed. Garrett lifted his head and looked at her, laughing.

"Seriously, after everything we just did, you're still shy?" He withdrew completely and rolled off, pulling on her until she rested on his side; she felt _empty_ without him. She couldn't get the words out of her when her gaze wandered to his scars, playing connect the dots. When he idly rubbed his thigh, she warded his hand away and did it for him. He inhaled sharply, then laid back down as he tightened his arm around her and closed his eyes. His expression relaxed significantly, a subtle smile tugging the corner of his mouth. She laid her head on his chest, and tugged on the sheets to cover them. He laughed again. "Nobody's gonna see us."

"Well, you never know. Yefim might come in to kick us out."

"If he does, it's for a different reason, and I'll shoot his cock off for it. Pretty sure they heard us out there, luv."

This could, in fact, get worse. Not that she hadn't already known that, anyways.

"Please stop," Piper hushed, embarrassed. Garrett squeezed her waist and chuckled. Comfortable silence draped over them, and she reeled her fist back when she looked up and noticed the smug smirk growing on his face. Uh huh. Here it came. He was cooking something, and she punched him in the ribs before he even got his stupid joke out.

"Queen Guinevere won't be having any affairs any time soon."


	21. Angel

_**Chapter 21: Angel  
Round 2 - **NSFW!_

* * *

Gat trailed feather-light kisses across her collarbone, peering up to watch her as she stirred awake. She still had that magnetic glow about her, even while sleeping, and he wanted to make it last. He peeled the sheets down to expose a breast and took a nipple in his mouth, still soft, circling his tongue around it until it shrunk into a hard pebble.

"_Mm..._" Hummed in the back of Piper's throat, and he absolutely loved the sound. He was addicted to all the sounds she made before, that _they_ made before, and he needed to hear it again. When her eyes fluttered open and lulled down at him, dazed and glazed, he smiled.

"G'mornin', luv." His hand disappeared under the sheets and slid down the silken planes of her stomach, drawing gentle circles around her clit. He leaned up and pushed her jaw away as he nibbled on her throat, catching the sound of her sharp inhale directly beside his ear. Her chest kicked up and a sigh shuddered out of her. It was too much, and not enough at the same time. Her hand lazily buried in the back of his hair, and when she grew wet, he coated her skin before he slipped his finger inside of her, watching her face.

Piper winced.

"Sore?" He withdrew slowly, and his heart sank with disappointment when she nodded. There was no way she'd be up for round 2 then.

At least, not like this.

Gat lifted the sheets and shimmied underneath before she was roused completely awake. He needed to shut her mind off before it had the chance to kick into gear and plague her with who knew how many worries and self-conscious thoughts; he made it his _mission_ to make this woman believe in herself, and them, a lot more than she did.

Thank god these sheets were thin, or he'd suffocate if it was any hotter than it already was in here. He navigated the darkness with his mouth, leaving little love bites on her stomach before he went lower and slid his shoulders under her legs. The musky smell enticed him and his pelvis pressed into the mattress, trying to ignore the throbbing below himself. He barely caught wind of his name, all confused, and leaned in to lick along the slick slit, trying not to smirk when she gasped in surprise.

Yeah. She was definitely awake now.

Her thighs tensed against his head and he wrapped his arms around to lock her hips down, gently suckling on her clit and rolling it between his teeth, spelling his _name_ with his tongue as an evil grin bounced around in his head. She was **his.** This was his. Nobody else would ever be allowed to touch, or so help them god, they better leave the fucking _country_ if they wanted to stay alive.

"G-Garrett," Piper sighed, breathing raggedly. Her legs began to quiver, and he flattened his hands on her belly when her hips gyrated more. A sliver of light poked through from up above, and he just barely saw the underside of her jaw. Fingers tangled in his hair and clutched tightly, pain briefly zinging down his scalp. He let go of one hip to gently ease a finger inside of her, hooking and pulling towards him as he bit her clit. The hot velvet walls sucked his finger in and fluttered faintly; his own hips began to thrust against the mattress as he imagined pounding into her, her nails breaking his skin.

Piper whispered his name again, a broken chant under her breath. Her legs closed against him more and more, muscles shuddering, and he thrust a second finger inside of her as he picked up the pace. Light engulfed him when she ripped off the sheet and looked down at him, carnal lust alight in her glazed eyes. It sent an almost painful rush down to his cock and she pulled on him, urging. "Inside me. Now."

"But you're-"

"_Please._"

Chris'sakes, what the hell was he supposed to say to that? Friggin' manners. Still polite even in bed, asking to be fucked. He didn't need to be asked twice.

"Y'always gotta make it impossible for me t'say no..." He slithered up her body and grabbed _King Arthur,_ positioning the tip in front of her entrance and sank in slowly to let her adjust to him, inch by inch. Guilt wracked him when she grimaced all the way, and when he decided to pull out instead, she shot him a glare that promised_ painful_ consequences.

"Right. Okay." He smiled nervously. "No need to plan my murder out loud, luv." He snuck an arm under the small of her back and lifted her hips, then burrowed himself all the way to the hilt. She cried out and arched into him, his name a choked stutter upon her lips. He held her waist against his and gyrated in gentle circles, then lowered her enough to squeeze a hand between them. He massaged and pinched her clit, hesitating whether he ought to move or not.

"Garrett..." Piper sighed wistfully, rocking her pelvis up. She smirked up at him, and it honestly made something _swell_ in his chest when she seemed to be _her_ and comfortable and playful and the _Boss _as he had come to know her. "I'm not crippled. I was just a little bit sore earlier, but I'm fine now." She angled her head and looked down, seemingly contemplating something, and she hooked her ankles behind him, pulling closer. "Just..." She blushed a little bit, avoiding his eyes. "Um, just take it easy this time."

"Alright, I will," he chuckled softly, leaning down to kiss her. He lowered her and encouraged her to unhook her legs, quelling the hundreds of other ideas he wanted to try with her and needed to right **now **in this very instant. There was time for them all. He'd make sure of that. He eased out of her and paced himself, paying loving attention to her neck as he soothed her hickies with gentle kisses and licks. A look down at her body showed love bites all over porcelain skin, and he smiled when he noticed tan lines. Her neck wasn't as sun-kissed as her face, and he didn't expect it would get any darker - except with bruises - now that she had her scarf back.

How she had even worn her precious jacket and hat during this heat wave was beyond him.

Piper arched into him a little more, stealing glances down where he'd rocked in and out of her. Her face slowly flushed crimson and he kissed her to take her mind away from whatever freakish thought seemed to unhinge her when it marveled across her eyes. He rested their foreheads together, cupping his elbows against her ears, looking deep into her eyes. There was still that sense of timidity tinging the hunger in them, and he smiled in their next kiss.

"Are you making fun of me in your head?" Came the murmur against his lips, and he shook his head as he pulled away to rest on her forehead again.

"No. The opposite, luv. I just don't have the words to put to what I'm feelin'. Help me?"

"It's not tato face again, is it?"

Garrett laughed quietly, slowing his pace as he went back to tending her neck. "Nah, it's 'stunning face' this time. I'm the luckiest man alive to be able to hog a gorgeous woman like you all to myself." He accentuated it with a languid kiss, trailing them up to her supple lips, parted in a gasp. She arched and tightened around him more; that sealed the deal. The easiest way to seduce both her mind and body was to whisper in her ear. He didn't dare say 'I told you so' to this reporter.

At least... Not right now.

"You're beautiful inside and out, Piper." He brushed over her ear, gently nibbling the shell of it as he pumped faster. A devilish smirk swept over his face, and not a second later, a fist drilled into his ribs; he laughed and looked over at her, closed eyes and subtle smile curling the corner of her mouth.

"Just get it out of your system, I know you're being all sweet just so that I won't kill you for it."

"You know me all too well, luv." He withdrew completely, biting her ear lobe until he goaded a hiss. Good. Her mouth was by his ear; he wanted to hear every single hitch and notation in her tone. "You're beautiful inside and out," he repeated, "especially _inside._" He drove his hips forward and buried himself up to the hilt, falling even harder when her gasp choked out into the second syllable of his name. He picked up the pace and groaned when she spread her legs out, allowing his balls to smack against her, sending tendrils of pleasure tightening around his cock.

"_Harder,_" came the bashful whisper, and he indulged selfishly. He wrapped his arm under her back and lifted her up, a hot blooded rush surging through him like electricity at the sound of her low and drawn out moan. She propped her feet up and angled her pelvis higher, and for some reason, she cut him off from her pretty eyes as she hid them beneath her palms, her fingers clutching her bangs tightly. "G-Garrett, _please..._"

What she was saying please for, he didn't know, but he'd hoped it meant she got her end away before him this time. That was just an embarrassment yesterday; and he was trying not to think of how bloody amazing she felt and looked and sounded and-

"Fuck," he growled, withdrawing completely. There was a pitiful whimper humming in the back of her throat, and such a tiny sound was enough to crush his heart. "I'm so sorry, luv, one minute." Frustrated, he grabbed and squeezed himself painfully hard, stroking relentlessly, only for a little hand to stop him as fingers wrapped around his knuckles.

"Let me try?"

Chris'sakes, he was ready to explode right then and there. He took his hand away and gaped like a dumbass as he watched her fingers wrap around him, the strokes awkward and jerky. He stole a quick glance and saw a concentrated look on her face; why was he not surprised to see that expression? He swore she was going to drive him batty just from the little things like this. He grabbed her wrist and it startled her, worry marring her freckled features.

"Am I doing something wrong? Does it hurt? Am I holding it too hard?"

"Doesn't hurt, can squeeze way harder than this, I won't break. But-" he pulled her hand and got her to sit up, lifting her by her waist and smiling when she yelped. She was so easy to handle, her body fitting perfectly in his hands. "Get dressed. We're going t'the Green Wall. I got something I really need to tell you."

"W-what? Right now?" Piper looked so confused, it was adorable; then she flushed beet red when she looked at the door. "Um..."

"We'll have to sooner or later. I don't hear much right now, so maybe the bar just closed. Perfect time to make a jailbreak."

Piper chewed on her lip and sighed, nodding in defeat. She walked awkwardly, much to his great amusement, and he tailed close behind her as his hand wandered down, running between her legs. She stopped and hissed, head lulling back to rest against his shoulder. "Garrett, _please _don't tease me..."

"Sorry, sorry," he paid her back with an apologetic kiss to the crook of where her nape met her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her as he drew her in an embrace. She reached up over her shoulder, her hand weaving in the back of his hair, her plump rump pressed deliciously to _King Arthur._ His pelvis rocked out of instinct, and a pitiful whine escaped from his throat. "I can't stop. _Help me,_ luv."

"Alright, clothes. **Now.**" Her commanding tone dared him to disobey, but it only aroused him even more. He had to stay focused on the goal, on the bigger picture, but that was _her_ thing. Not his.

Right. Her thing. She'd love it, be all over it.

"I can do this," he whispered, chanting it between every kiss.

"You can do this, I believe in you." Piper lilted playfully, and he rolled his eyes when she twisted to him, her nose dimpling cutely as she grinned. He was positively shattered when she slithered out of his hands, dressing herself with admirable speed; well, she dressed normally, but he worked his clothes on as slow as a brahmin, and she laughed. "God, you look so heartbroken right now. I can't even take you seriously."

"I can't even take me seriously, luv. I really am heartbroken. Do you have any idea what I want to do to you?"

"Hard not to, with how often you share them," she fired back with a wicked glint in her eyes. If only she knew what was coming for her now. She fixed her hair to be the closest thing as she could be to presentable and fixated her hat, then head over to the bed to turn the sheets _over,_ making the bed look neat. He arched his brow and struggled not to laugh, especially when she turned around with the most innocent look.

"Bullshit," he chuckled, pointing at her face and drawing a circle in the air around it. "Every part of that is bullshit. The heck are y'gonna say if they ask what the noises were?"

"That you gave me a _heavenly_ massage," she answered without batting an eye, holding her head high as she marched for the door.

Garrett laughed.

There was no containing himself anymore.

**x - x - x**

Hands gripped her hips so tightly she was sure she'd find even _more _bruises making pretty patterns on her skin, and she held on to the podium post for dear life. She gasped and groaned as he moved behind her, fucking her fiercely enough to make her want to say _fuck it all_ and moan for the entire god damn city to hear. She slapped a hand over her mouth before she did, reaching back to help keep her jacket rolled up.

How did it even get to this? Well, she didn't expect to keep himself contained, but they were in _public. _Never in her wildest dreams would she think _publick occurrences _would be interpreted like _this._ He bucked and pulled her hips to meet every rough thrust, making her see more than the stars in the night sky. Her heart was pounding up at her throat and she honestly felt nauseated over the thought that they'd be caught, but there was an undeniable thrill to it all.

Moans hummed deep in her chest, and he hushed by her ear. "Shh, stay quiet if you don't want anyone to catch us, luv."

Jesus Christ, just what the hell had she unleashed?

"Piper, I **need **to tell you something and you keep distracting me," he hissed, withdrawing from her again far too soon. He dragged her pants up and tugged her towards the Wall, increasing the risk of being seen without the podium to cover them. White noise rung in her ears as she followed, too dazed to even think of a witty comeback for his stupid 'distraction' bullshit. It started all over again when he'd rolled her pants down to her knees and unzipped completely to peel the flaps of his pants away, then lifted her and entered her again. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hold on for dear life, biting his neck to stave off her moans or muffle it against his skin. The wet sounds of their flesh slapping together still echoed in the air.

"I'm falling so bloody hard for you," Garrett growled. "_I love you._ I love you so fucking much, I love you to the point where everything about you is drivin' me crazy. This still isn't enough, or it's..." Another growl, irritated as he groped for words that didn't come smoothly, but it was raw. "I don't know. I dunno how to show you how much I really feel for you. I want to fuck you until you _break, _until you're addicted to me just as much as I'm addicted to you."

Shock swiftly hit her when she remained stuck on his first words. Everything else bled out to the white noise and the flashes behind her eyes, the pleasure coursing up her spine to her brain. She bit down on him hard enough to break skin, blood lacing her tongue, and he groaned. The coil tightened and she couldn't take it anymore, surrendering herself as she whimpered in his neck. "Talk after. I c-can't..." Her pelvis was angled forward and he hit a sweet spot, breaking the last of her restraints. She soared to the peak and sought out his mouth as she moaned inside of it, rocking with his thrusts. The vibrations of his echoed in hers and she kissed him as hard as she could, instinct taking over to convey just how much she felt for him too.

Ragged breaths filled the air as he slowed down and suddenly withdrew, a blank look on his face as he stared at her. Then he seemed as if he _panicked _and looked scared shitless; she knew why. She beamed a tired smile, framing his rugged jaw as she kissed him again and again. Her eyes squeezed shut as the flutters subsided down below, but not in her chest, and waves of emotions crashed down on her instead of euphoria. She took a deep breath and quickly blinked the tears away as she pulled back to look at him, a bright grin on her face.

"I love you too, Garrett." She looked behind her at the Great Green Wall. If he took her here, then this place must have meant something to him; maybe it marked the beginning of when he first noticed his feelings for her. When had they grown, for her? It was something to think about, and she found it endearing that he already had thought about it. He still looked terrified, and she chuckled as she patted his cheeks; right, words and feelings were unknown territory for him, just like how sex was for her. She knew the best way to comfort him. "Don't worry, I'm positive you'll still drive me crazy enough to want to throw you off a cliff."

Finally a smile, however subtle, tugged at his lips. He carefully set her down and helped her with her pants, then his own. For some reason, she felt like she was missing something here, a piece of a puzzle of some sort. But then all felt right in the world when his fingers laced with hers, and he leaned down for a kiss. Her heart skipped a beat and soared, flying _lighter_ at her new nickname.

"Let's go home, Angel. I wanna wake up to you in _our_ bed."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Thank you for your honest and helpful feedback, Ddastan! I hope this chapter delivered just a bit better. It's going to take some time before I get back into the swing of things when it comes to writing NSFW without making it tastelessly crude and raunchy.  
_

_As a result and heads up to other readers, I added additional content to chapter 20; there's an extra 1k words starting after the point when Piper asks "are we dating?" so if you'd like, catch up on that since there's some more juicy tidbits and Garrett being extra sweet enough to rival Piper's penchant of giving us cavities :P  
_

_I promise we'll return to plot soon...ish. :P Even I'm starting to wonder where the heck Blue could be after all this time! But really, after all that teasing, I'd say we earned a lengthy honeymoon stage lol. We'll see where the next chapter takes us. See you soon and hope you enjoyed, cheers!_


	22. Miracle Of the Month

_**Chapter 22: Miracle Of the Month**_

* * *

Gat didn't know how to interpret Piper's mood. She was in high spirits and whistling, which was unusual for a woman who was always so considerate of others; nobody in the city was going to get sleep tonight, it seemed. Certainly not him either.

He came inside of her. He didn't pull out. What the fuck was he supposed to do now? She didn't seem to have noticed, or else she would have killed him instead of saying she loved him _back._ Just how much love were they talking about here? He needed some sort of gauge, a meter that helpfully informed him when it was depleted, and when he ought to start thinking about bunkering down at his safehouse for the next few years. Was it even possible to hide from reporters? Ferreting the truth out was her specialty.

He's so fucked.

This was the last thing either of them needed. She couldn't afford to get pregnant with her career and penchant for helping all manners of bloody strangers, and he didn't know the first thing about being a dad, and what if he was just popping out another fucked up kid in this world? There were enough of him.

What does he do? What does he say? Does he tell her? Does he stay quiet until _oops,_ hello baby bump, and act surprised so that he had a better chance of _not_ dying? He was panicking, but thankfully she seemed to chalk it up to his lovey dovey confession; thankfully she forgot 'love' was easy for him to say to her, and it felt so right to say it to her. Now he fucked it all up and made it all wrong. Fucking King Arthur. Off with his head.

"I'm trying to figure out where I could point at a singular moment and say 'ah, that's it'," she murmured as she twisted to him, holding out her hand for him to catch up and take it. He didn't hesitate; it could very well be the last time he got to hold her. Selfish, even now... He wasn't fit to be a father at all. "But I guess somewhere between our laughs, long talks, stupid little fights and all our jokes, I fell in love with you too. I can't tell the way you did with the Wall."

"Honestly, it kind of hit me outta nowhere, luv. I never really sat and thought 'ah, that's it' either. But when we were paintin' that wall, I had a bloody grand time even if we were doing things the 'honest way', and eventually... I thought to myself that I really hoped we'd get paid less, so I could stay with you longer. Then I had more and more of those thoughts, then anything that happened to me, I wanted you to be the first I told." He let go of her hand to wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against him. They stumbled a little until they fell in sync, passing her house to wander around the city instead. "I'll hafta start taking odd jobs again and send off another shipment next week. Don't s'pose you'd wanna join me?"

Piper idly rubbed her belly, and it set Gat on high alert; was she pregnant already? Did women have some sort of intuitive superpower like that? How did pregnancy even work and how fast was it, after the guy did his part? He never asked _dad_ or checked his programming for any lessons on biology. He remembered it was a long time with his sister, and how much pain she was in throughout the entire pregnancy. Piper was going to hate him and curse his fucking soul for this.

"Garrett? Are you okay?" She waved a hand in front of his face and curled forward, casting a worried look when he reluctantly met her eyes. "You've been staring into space. If the money thing is bothering you that much, we can go check the bounty board and see if we can do anything tonight."

"N-no, still got time, luv. I'm knackered; would rather spend the night at your place, if I'm allowed. I can sleep on the couch or floor if you're worried 'bout how Nat'll react."

Piper stared blankly. Never before had that put so much _fucking weight_ on his lungs; what the hell was she thinking? Feeling? Why was she still rubbing her belly? Was she thinking about how Nat would react to _that_ news? He couldn't afford to wait anymore and he waved both his hands in front of her face, relieved when she snapped out of her reverie and smirked up at him. "I'm sure she won't mind as long as we don't make too much noise."

The _places_ his mind went with that...

"Any chance we can grab some noodles first though, Garrett? I'm starving."

"Y-yeah, no problem." Any more stuttering, and she was going to hone in on him like a fucking missile. She was already giving him the suspicious eyes and he took the lead back to the noodle bar before she had the chance to ask; but all he wanted to ask was just how much she was starving. Was she eating for two now?

Fucking hell, he was going to fry his brain from the inside if he didn't calm down soon.

Thoughts blurred and swirled and ran out of control the moment he sat down on the stool and had a steaming bowl to chow down on, effectively bringing down silence upon them. He could feel her eyes all over him but he tried to ignore it as best as he could, slurping loudly with the noodles. Her gentle chuckle instantaneously brought a smile to his face, an ingrained reaction, and it made him freak out even more about losing all of this already. He nearly jumped in his seat when she tenderly squeezed his wrist.

"What's really eating you up, Garrett? This is the first time you've been quiet for this long and it's worrying me. Is there something the matter?"

Gat looked over at her, torn apart by the screaming in his mind. He wanted to blurt it out and bury it down at the same time. He turned his hand up to grab hers, holding for dear life as he tried to swallow the suffocating lump back down his throat. It slithered down his chest as if he'd eaten a rock and remained stuck at his heart, tightening and crushing his lungs as he licked his dry lips. He didn't know how to get this out.

"There is," he croaked, forcing it out through clenched teeth. The worry marring her beautiful features didn't belong. "I'm afraid of losing you."

Piper's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and then she burst out laughing, earning the looks of night owls and seedy assholes. Gat glared daggers at each of them until they minded their own damn business, then looked back at the woman who leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. "You're not going to lose me. You're stuck with me now after what you did."

"W-what I did? You know, then?"

"Uh, yeah. Would be pretty dumb if I didn't."

Something wasn't adding up here. Gat stared, still wary of navigating this potential minefield. "Just so we're on the same page, what did I do?"

Piper's brow arched inquisitively. It added another ton on his lungs. Then her eyes narrowed. "What do you think you did?"

"Fuck, luv, I asked first."

"Garrett..." There was the warning voice. "What did you do..."

"Baby-"

"Don't baby me."

No, no. He meant _baby _baby; and what she said just turned up anxiety to a whole new level.

"Honey-"

"Don't honey me either!"

There was another naughty idea for another day.

"Angel?"

Piper sucked in a sharp breath through her nose. He was in fatal danger again and her eyes promised it. She squeezed his hand as tightly as possible. "Just tell me. I promise I won't be mad at you, okay? I just want to know the truth."

"...How sure are you of this promise?"

"Garrett, you're really scaring me now. I'm sure whatever you're afraid of isn't all that bad. Just trust me." She held his hand in both of hers and turned towards him, taking his hand into her lap. "Please tell me."

This was it. Today was the last day of his life. He always imagined he'd just be left rotting in a ditch somewhere, not a noodle bar. He rubbed her knuckles and tethered his gaze to her fingers, unable to look at her in the eyes. "Alright well... Y'know how I was, uh..." He glanced around for any passerbys, then lowered his voice so as not to embarrass her. On any other day, it would've been fun to see her _tato face_ over it, but this was his _last day._

He didn't want her chopping his nuts off before she killed him.

"I dunno how to say this in an innocent way, luv, and I really don't wanna say it _here _with people around. Can we find a private place first?"

Piper frowned, but slid off the stool and tugged on his hand. "Let's go to the farms, then, and hide in the trees." She tugged and tugged until he reluctantly followed the woman who marched with a _fucking purpose,_ and the entire time, he kept glancing over his shoulder as he contemplated on running away; but that was the kind of cowardly man his pa was, and Gat promised himself he'd never be anything like him. He collected his thoughts and tried to think of how best to break the news, his heart racing ever faster. He stared at her hand, their tether, and how the trees brushed her shoulders, her head high and forward the whole time. She never looked back. She looked to the _future._

Could he do that too? He wanted to. He wanted to look to the future with her, to be in her future. When they stopped and she turned around, he found clarity in her eyes. He didn't stop to think about it. He came close and framed her jaw, but a tiny finger came up to press against his lips when he leaned down to kiss her.

"No, you're not distracting me with this," she lilted, and patted his cheek. "Nice try. Now tell me what's-"

"I came inside of you," he blurted, throwing it all up in the air when her eyes widened with shock. "That's why I'm so bloody scared of losing you, Angel. I can't stop thinking about how much yer gonna hate me, and what we're gonna do, and what kind of dad I'd even be. I dunno the first thing about being a dad. All I'm good for is shooting shite." The myriad of expressions she was making was freaking him the fuck out. He was about to die. "I don't know what to do. I don't know what you're gonna do, but I'd get it if you wanna kill me and-"

"Garrett, _stop._ Slow down." Piper looked down at herself and let go of his hands, running them over her belly. She took a deep, shaky breath, and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were full of tears and he honest to god was ready to shoot _himself_ for her. Instinct reached for her, and the one good thing was that she hadn't been repulsed enough to rip away from him; she welcomed his embrace instead and buried her face in his chest, her hat falling off.

"I'm so sorry, luv, I really fucked up now... I didn't mean to, I swear. I just... I lost control after what I said and..." It was getting harder and harder to find the words, and he sighed dejectedly, kissing the top of her head. "I'd understand if y'don't want t'have me in you or the kid's life."

"_Stop,_" she whispered, "you promised me once before that you would stop, if I said it. And you vowed you'd never leave me." She pulled away and framed his jaw roughly, staring deep into his eyes with stern resolve. That determination in her gaze could light a fire in anyone's soul. "You're only good for shooting? That is _not_ true. The man I'm falling for is Garrett Butler, not Gat the Gunner. You would be an amazing dad, Garrett. I **know** you would. So you better stay around if that ever happens."

If? It was going to happen now, wasn't it?

"The lengths you've gone to for me and for your family says everything. You need to have more faith in this." Piper poked his chest. "It took me a lot of digging, but I found it. Trust yourself a little more, even if you make mistakes. That's what being human is all about." She drummed her fingers on his collarbone. "That's what having a heart is for."

"Now y'know where to shoot," he quipped quietly, and she strained a smile. She hooked her hands on his nape and pulled him down until their foreheads rested together.

"Think on what I've said. You don't have to worry about any of that stuff for a while, anyways." She took his hand to her belly. "'Cause your favorite joke came true."

"My favorite joke?" He stared, and she sighed as she marched away, shoulders hunched in embarrassment. It clicked in. "It's that time of the month, innit?!"

"Don't shout it for the city to hear, Garrett!"

**x - x - x**

"Ugh..." Piper curled into fetal position on her bed and hugged her belly. The cramps were coming on hard and fast now, and she was sweating profusely with the pain. It didn't help that a certain mischievous man was curious rather than helpful. If only he was deliberate about this; then she would have a legitimate reason to feel this annoyed, instead of hormones taking her on a rollercoaster ride.

Garrett knelt in front of her. "What does it feel like?"

"Like something is trying to stab it's way out of me," she groaned, then smirked weakly when he brushed her hair out of her eyes. At least he possessed the capability to be sweet; now where were the romantic bones in his body?

"Like evil Lancelot is trying to kill Queen Guinevere?"

Nowhere, evidently.

"_Garrett..._" Piper whined pitifully, turning her face into the pillow. "Not a thing. And what happened to boyfriends being gentlemen?"

"Also not a thing."

_Wonderful._

"I dunno what to do to help, Angel." He was really serious about this angel thing, wasn't he? Such a sap. "I only know how to cure colds." Cure colds? Why did she have a feeling that his cure was something _dirty?_ "Want me to go ask Vadim for his coldest beers? We can press it to your belly then." Garrett sat on the edge of the bed, looking down when something thudded against their floor. He chuckled when Piper muffled her grumbles in her pillow. "Sorry, Nat!"

She wasn't.

"Keep it down 'til I leave for school, and quit bein' a baby, Piper! You're embarrassing me!"

"Wait 'til you have to suffer through this, brat," Piper mumbled, "I'm gonna remember this and say the same thing to you."

"Play nice," Garrett teased, shuffling over to lay beside her. He tucked close to her side and gently ran his finger up and down her back, sending little goosebumps to chase pleasurable shivers. She sighed in content and scooted closer to him, tucking another pillow under her belly, for what little good it would do. She was too weak to retort that 'playing nice' was coming from _this _guy, indulging in the feather-light massage and presence of the man whom she _still_ couldn't believe regarded himself so lowly. Just this alone, being here with her instead of running away, spoke thousands of _stories._

It really drove the point home just how close she was to her entire life changing forever, though. She was secretly grateful for her period too; miracle of the month, this was. She hadn't ever given family any thought. Heck, she never even thought she'd have a relationship of any sort, not if everybody hated and avoided her. She was soothed and lulled when Garrett brushed her hair away and kissed her nape, his hand sneaking under her shirt to trail along the bumps of her spine.

"_This feel better?_" Came the quietest whisper right by her ear, and she nodded, drifting as if she was lost out at sea. "_Need help taking your clothes off?_"

"Garrett," she warned, and felt something bump into her jaw several times. A shake of his head, maybe?

"No, luv, so you don't get your favorite clothes all dirty. Y'just cleaned your jacket of blood."

Oh god, why did he just have to plant the worst image in her head? Period blood all over her - ew. _No._

"An' while you're sleepin', I can go buy some fresh rags and make sure they're clean. Or shirts. Dunno what y'like to use."

Piper lifted her head and peered at him, astonished when he seemed not at all freaked out by what he was even saying. How come she found it more gross than him? Well, feeling gross didn't exactly help. She slowly rolled on her side, grimacing when the vestiges of sleep were warded away by another gut-clenching cramp. She focused on her new _mission,_ her distraction, and came up to murmur in his ear. "How isn't this gross to you?"

"I have a sister, luv," Garrett chuckled, "I delivered my own niece. Mind you I was freaking out like fuck then, too, but after y'see that, everything's sunshine and rainbows."

"_You_ delivered a baby?"

"Fuckin' alien at the time, more like."

Mirth exploded from Piper before she could think to tame it, and _ow'd_ her way along as she held her dying stomach, apologizing in between wheezy breaths when Nat threw a flurry of objects at the ceiling. Floor. Whatever the hell that was technically called. Piper drilled her fist in Garrett's ribs, but it did little to wipe off his proud grin as he nuzzled and kissed her neck. "There we go, knew y'were still hidin' somewhere in there, Boss."

"You're _horrible._"

"I know. That's why you love me, innit?" That was some bold claim. "Honestly, though, if I hadn't delivered my niece... Don't think I'd be here. I'd be starin' at the end of a gun instead of her. My sis... She wasn't planning to keep my niece; made me promise I'd be the one to kill and give a proper burial after the delivery, 'cause we knew it was only a matter of time before our pa would put his fucking hands on her too. That was a good day. I grew a pair of balls and became a man that day; wasn't afraid no more, wasn't no little boy. I kept my promise."

Piper froze, gaping at him in shock. All this time... His niece was dead? No. Something didn't add up; he had that drawing encased in his bullet necklace, so she had to be old enough to draw it for him. His gunmetal eyes soldered to the ceiling, and they grew distant and _sheen._ He closed them with a reminiscent smile.

"A miracle was born, and a motherfucker died."

Silence, save for the subtle creaks from the old bed frame. Then dull thuds pounded below on the floor, racing up the stairs, and Piper sat up, startled to see Nat. She held a big jar in her tiny hands and climbed over Piper, uncaring that she _kneed _the reporter's poor belly, and shoved the jar in Garrett's face. "I heard and counted all of them," Nat rattled the caps in her jar, then turned it until he saw the 'swear jar' label. Piper burst out laughing when his face fell deadpan, and Nat beamed the brightest grin. "If I can't swear, you can't swear. Four caps in the jar, mister."

Garrett groaned. "I'm gonna be fuckin' broke by the end of today."

"Language!" Both Wrights laughed in unison. Nat shook the jar. "Five caps now!"

Piper smiled when he actually paid Nat, both _children_ sticking their tongues out at each other. Satisfied, Nat went back to her room with five new shiny caps, and Piper chuckled when he grumbled something about ruined moments and bad timing. She twisted and dipped under his jawbone, kissing his neck and trailing them up to his ear. "I mean, technically you did have bad timing there, swearing within earshot of her."

"I was whispering as quietly as possible, though... Hawk ears, that one. You two are definitely sisters."

"What's _that _supposed to mean, huh?"

"I can still hear you!" Nat lilted playfully. "And stop making gross kissy faces at each other! Oh and: you should bring your niece here to play!"

Piper loved what that did to his eyes.

"One day I will," the words drifted in the air, and then he grinned. "I **promise** I will."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_To those who PM'd me, fanfiction is glitching on my phone right now and keeps freezing every time I try to open the message to respond. I'll get back to you as soon as I'm allowed to! _

_Thank you as always Ddastan for taking time to review! I can't wait to get back to the action scenes too, they should be coming soon since I'd love to return to the plot sooner rather than later so I can tie this story up and start the next sequel. This 'arc' is long overdue lol. Cowboy should be making a return either next chapter or the chapter after that._

_Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you enjoyed. See you in the next chapter, cheers!_


	23. One More Tomorrow

_**Chapter 23: One More Tomorrow**_

* * *

Piper wasn't big into chems, but she believed Solomon had some merit in his sales pitch from time to time; namely, the time of the month. If she had access to a crate full of med-x, she'd stab herself with them in a heartbeat. She groaned and rolled on the other side of her bed, squirming uncomfortably whenever she felt a fresh wave pour through as if she was peeing herself. She took the sheets off as a precaution and glanced at all the old stained clothes she took out just for this occasion, but the blood hadn't soaked through the rag yet. If she was lucky, which was a 50/50 chance, then maybe this wasn't going to be a heavy period.

"Garrett?" Piper called out, but the house was still silent. She frowned; he promised he'd be back soon after he'd walk Nat to school, and that walk wasn't any longer than five minutes. The two sniggered evilly though. If they were conniving together to run some sort of prank on her _now,_ there would be hell to pay.

"God, I can't believe I offered to go on a bounty job with him..." Every cramp was murder, and she _really_ should have known better than to make such an offer when she already started feeling the cramps. What would they have done if they were out and about? She didn't remember them being this bad; then again, she was under a ton more stress than usual. Being kidnapped several times would do that to a girl.

"I'm going to kill him," she grumbled, but it reminded her of something vitally important. Whoever hired the Gunners again would surely expect results. Did the mercenary band communicate among themselves? Would they all know that it was _specifically_ Garrett that betrayed them and rescued the hostage? Who was the Gunners' employer, and how did they communicate? There had to be a way, if she was taken so easily again the second time. Garrett would know best.

What if he was a target because of her now, though? What about his _family?_

Piper chewed on her thumb and grew anxious for every minute he hadn't shown up. She weakly reached for the alarm clock on her dresser. 9:03 AM. He should have been back an hour ago. Her worry superseded logic and she began to roll off the bed, only to jump in it, startled when the door downstairs slammed loudly.

"Piper! I got goodies for you, luv!" Garrett shouted excitedly, cussing something about his boots. She smiled at the sounds of dull thuds racing up the stairs and propped her head up on a fist as she laid on her side, arching her brow, intrigued by the sight of a radio curled under his arm.

"_Borrowed,_ or borrowed?"

"Borrowed borrowed. Ain't steal it, promise. Gonna give it back to Travis at the end of the day. He's a good mate, that guy. Way too easy to rip off though. Offered to give me whatever I wanted even before I asked him for anything; gave me the radio and said I could keep it, if I wanted to. Here, got this for ya too." He slung _her_ satchel over to her, and she inwardly grumbled that he took her things without permission.

"Wait, you went to _Travis?_" No wonder he gave the radio for free. Piper didn't mention the fact that Garrett wasn't wearing his hat, so his gunner tattoo was plain to see.

"Yeah. I think that was the bloke's name, anyways. Had a hard time hearing him over his stutterin'." Garrett set the radio on her metal desk and handily moved her terminal over to the side, and she shot him a deadpan look for rearranging her things without permission; her scowl went unnoticed, and she rolled her eyes at just how enthusiastic he was over this radio. "You're gonna love what I set up for you, promise. One sec."

"Should I be worried?" Piper mused aloud, and she bit her lip when his hands slowed significantly, dampened by the doubt. He simply beamed a sincere grin at her, though.

"Only if y'don't like music. Where's your plug?" He dove under her desk, and she laughed when cusses followed a resounding thud. He crawled back out rubbing his head, but it still didn't slow him down. She didn't even care when she saw her terminal screen shut off. He turned the radio on and dumped himself on the edge of the bed, helping himself to her satchel. "Are y'gonna open it or what? You're slower than usual. Didn't think periods could cripple hands."

"Whoa, there, slow down charmer. You're blowing me away by how sweet you are," Piper chuckled, and then she really _was _blown away when he dumped the contents on the bed. There were capped syringes of med-x, a bottle of wine with plastic wine glasses, salisbury steak, a carton of cigarettes and... "What... Is all this?" She picked up a rolled and crumpled Boston Bugle, smiling when she noticed Garrett run his hands along the sides of his thighs. A quick sideways glance proved he was nervous.

Travis' stutters came on the radio, but bled in the background of her thoughts as she sorted through her gifts. She barely registered him saying there were a series of _requested_ songs and her next cramp disappeared in the face of her heart swelling when she put two and two together. She pushed herself up with her hand and hooked her fingers on Garrett's collar, pulling him close to claim his lips.

"You like it?" Garrett whispered in between their kisses, and she nodded fiercely. Her eyes fluttered shut before tears squeezed out, and she chuckled when _A Wonderful Guy_ played first. Of course it did. Of course he requested this. Of course he was doing this to and for her. _Of_ _course. _All these caps; he had to have been short on them, if he had anything left at all now. He needed to collect every cap he could scrounge together and instead he spent every cap he scrounged together on her.

What a foolish, cruel, wonderful man.

_ "I am in a conventional dither,_  
_With a conventional star in my eye._  
_And you will note there's a lump in my throat_  
_When I speak of that wonderful guy!"_

"I love it," Piper whispered back, pulling him by his shoulders as she laid down. He carefully rearranged her _goodies_ up on the corner of the bed and tended to her neck; she sighed in content when he snuck his hand under her shirt and gently rubbed her stomach.

"Didn't know what poison you'd rather have to deal with all this shite, so I bought everything I could afford. I'll get ya another carton of cigarettes later to make up for all the packs I borrowed from ya." Garrett shimmied down and straddled her thighs, sitting back. "Take off your shirt and turn on your stomach, luv." A wicked grin plastered on his face in a flash. "I'm gonna give ya a real _heavenly_ massage."

Piper laughed, though her cheeks flushed with heat at the reminder. She complied and dumped the shirt aside then started to turn, until her stomach was gripped by another painful pang, different from cramps. It growled and rumbled as if it were a dying brahmin and she rolled to bury her face in the pillow, mortified.

"Dang, sounds like a hungry army," Garrett whistled; that did _not_ help her. "Massage after, then. I'll go cook the steak on the stove and spiff up some romantic dinner for ya."

"Romantic, huh? I'm almost scared to ask what your definition of that is." Piper glanced behind her when she felt the sheets slither up her back. She smiled when he waited and trailed kisses from her nape to her shoulder blades first, folding her arms beneath her pillow as she flopped in defeat. The sheets came up the rest of the way and she closed her eyes when he grabbed the steak and wine out the corner, pressing one last tender kiss on her head.

"Y'just relax today, Boss, y'earned it a million times over. I'll do everything for ya today. I'll even handle yer business."

"Please don't," Piper murmured, chuckling gently at the imagery in her mind. "I'm not ready to open a brothel."

Garrett's laughter roared, but faded as he went downstairs. "Why not? Great caps to be made. We'd be the only one here and I know all the sex shops in the Commonwealth to loot for _toys._" Of course he did. Seriously, how were they a thing? "Only thing we'd have to worry about is Nat."

"That's the _only_ thing you can think of? Really?" Piper sighed when he laughed again, and she rolled her eyes, a smile unwillingly tugging her lips at his antics.

_"I'm as corny as Kansas in August,_  
_High as a flag on the Fourth of July!_  
_If you'll excuse an expression I use,_  
_I'm in love, I'm in love,_  
_I'm in love, I'm in love,_  
_I'm in love with a wonderful guy!"_

A naughty guy, more like.

_Atom Bomb Baby_ played next, and she laughed. "God, _of course_ you asked for this song too..." She buried her face in her pillow as she curled her arms over her head, blowing for no reason known even to her. Her feet still tapped to the beat though. Rattles downstairs worried her and she leaned over to try and get a peek through the slivers of cracks between the planks, smiling when she caught glimpse of him reading the instructions on the box. A craving different from hunger had gathered on her tongue, making it feel as if she was swallowing balls of cotton. When was the last time she even had a smoke?

Piper propped up the pillows and sat up, helping herself to the carton of cigarettes as she eyed the med-x. It was certainly tempting, but it was her last resort; Garrett was already doing a miraculous job of keeping her mind off the gutting pains below as best as he could. She looked around as she stuffed a cigarette in her mouth - desperate enough to stick a whole pack full of them in - only to remember the ash tray and matches were downstairs.

"Hey," she cleared her throat when it came out as a rasp, and rose her voice. "Hey, Garrett?"

"Hey hey, yes, atom bomb baby?"

"Not a thing!" Piper smirked around her cigarette when his cackles skipped out of him like some evil scientist. "Anyways, can you bring me an ash tray and matches?"

"Yeah, gimme a minute. Got 26 seconds left on the steak. Well 22 now. 20. 19..."

"Oh my god..." She clamped her lips shut before she burst out laughing. She definitely wanted to encourage this side of him to come out more often, not give him the wrong idea and shut it away. Her cheeks hurt more than her belly when she heard him counting aloud, making weird _sound effects _as the frying pan danced and scraped along her stove.

_Accentuate the Positive_ came on, and she wondered how he had even chosen the songs in the first place, and why in this order; if there was a particular order to this, anyways. She never really took him to be the kind of guy to actually _sit still_ and also - even more surprisingly - actually _listen. _Another laughter was wrought from her when the short song finished and _Pistol Packin' Mama_ started up soon after.

Not that she'd ever say it aloud, but she was grateful she didn't have to cringe through Travis' poor stammering. If only that guy believed in himself a little bit more. Her smile grew when she heard Garrett's feet pound on the poor creaky stairs as he rushed up, a proud grin of his own plastered on his face.

If only this guy believed in himself a little bit more, too.

"Am I gettin' close to turning today around and makin' this your best day ever, Angel?" Garrett set the ash tray beside her, but the matches were nowhere to be found. He helped himself to a cigarette and took out a gold flip lighter out his pocket, muffling around his smoke as he knelt on a knee to show her the lid. "This is all yours, luv." His thumb swept across the lid and revealed a word engraved in the lid.

_Newsflash._

Piper laughed and shook her head, taking out her cigarette as instinct guided her lips to seek out his. She awkwardly kissed the corner of his mouth instead - his grin, and pulled away. "Just what have I unleashed? If this side of you came out in the beginning, a girl would be head over heels for you a whole lot sooner."

"Well, y'gotta work for it, like striking gold. Makes the reward all the more sweeter when y'work hard for it, yeah?"

"_Uh huh. _So you're gold, now?"

"Glad ya agree! Knew you would."

She wasn't... _Ugh._ Forget it. Silence was safer; he'd just tease her no matter how she answered this.

Garrett lit his own cigarette up first then angled his head. "Turn the other way. I've always wanted to try this with someone."

"What are we even trying?"

"I'm gonna light yours up with mine." He framed her jaw and tilted her even more, murmuring, "_cigarette kiss._"

Piper's face fell as flat as her voice and question. "Really. Cigarette kiss."

"Only the most badass kiss ever." Garrett sniggered when he glanced up at her, then down at their smokes. "Y'oughta see the faces you give me, I shoulda bought one of them small mirrors too. It's like your eyes are screaming how lame I am. Go on, suck it in already or yours will never light."

"Fine, fine." She'd entertain this once, but the next time? Just light it up normally. The way his eyes lit up when the embers of her cigarette glowed a bright orange had fought a good battle to change her mind, and her cheeks hurt _not_ to smile so she wouldn't drop her cigarette or bite off the butt. She patted his cheek before he withdrew and took her cigarette out, blowing a circle of smoke like how he did to her once. Another drag, and she shot a line straight through.

Garrett had a blank look on his face for a moment, and then crushed her forehead with his lips, goading a raw laugh from her. "Y'got bloody good memory, luv. I can't believe you actually _remembered_ somethin' as small as that."

"How would I possibly forget all the times you've driven me crazy?"

Trumpets and saxophones blared on the radio in a grand entrance to _He's a Demon,_ and they both grinned devilishly. She hooked her hand on his nape and took out his cigarette, setting them on the ash tray as she pulled him in for a passionate and smoke-laced kiss. She didn't want to let him go. Garrett set the ash tray on her dresser instead, and when he grabbed her scarf - probably for another blush-inducing move, she stole it from him and slung it behind his neck, pulling on the ends with all her might so that he stayed on her lips.

"He's a balooka, he's a brute," she sang quietly so that the radio still overpowered her, self-conscious of whether or not it was actually _good._ "He drives me crazy, but he's cute. Why do I love a guy I ought to shoot?" She tightened her grip on the scarf and crossed her hands, mock-choking him for a second. His gravelly chuckles made _things_ dance inside of her. "He's a demon, he's a devil." Another kiss, and she whispered against his mouth ever so softly. "He's a _doll._"

"Favorite song, innit? Figured you'd relate to this one way more than a wonderful guy. Shoulda started with this one first I think."

"God, you're so..." Piper sighed, smiling and tasting his when she pulled him closer. Let their kisses say everything they needed to say.

Gentle piano notes plucked the air, a simple melody following soon after. She had every song engraved to heart with how often she heard them; it was a shame Travis hadn't stumbled across more holotapes of new songs. Maybe it was something her and Garrett could scavenge for some day, even if it would be just for themselves to be played at her terminal, or something.

"One more tomorrow, to kiss your lips constantly," he husked, his calloused hands slipping over hers. She loosened her hold and let go of the scarf when he guided her hands to rest on his chest, kneeling to be level with her. He 'sang', or rather mumbled, and she smiled when she heard the uncertainty in his voice as if he was screaming at himself for how weird this sounded and felt. It was like that for her, anyways, just _hearing _it. "And feel the palming as your heart beats next to me."

"One more tomorrow filled with love the whole day through," Piper continued, feeling utterly silly over all of this. He really knew how to drive a girl crazy. Good _and_ bad.

"And then tomorrow I'll beg for one more tomorrow with you." Garrett suddenly pushed off and charged down the stairs, his enthusiasm sparked back to life. Or was he just running away from how strange he felt, singing? She'd have to be blind and deaf to not notice how uncomfortable he was with it; perhaps this level of _craziness_ of his was just as big of a surprise and mystery to him too.

"That steak's gonna go cold if we don't eat it now, luv! Where d'ya wanna eat?"

"Up here's fine. I'm too lazy to come downstairs, anyways." Piper hummed along to the next songs as she sat up, smiling when he'd brought a tray up, staring at it in total concentration as he balanced all the contents. The wine glass had yet to be filled, and he jerked his chin to the syringes waiting at the corner of the bed.

"The doc said if yer gonna take the med-x, then the wine has to wait so it won't be too hard on your something for mixing both."

"On my something?" Her brow arched in amusement. "Are you actually passing up the opportunity to make _fun_ of me, Garrett? Who are you and where is the real Garrett? The one that I know would have never willingly gone back to Dr. Sun and even buy _needles_ from him."

"Now y'have _evidence_ of how much I care 'bout ya, luv, 'cause ain't nobody else ever gonna convince me to buy needles." He playfully stuck out his tongue at her as he set the tray on her lap, then opened the wine bottle and started to pour in their glasses. "The doc gave me a crash course on anatomy but there's so many fuckin' organs. Anyways, I think he said it'd be hard on your liver; not your lady bits. Reckon y'wanna life hack yer period and remove your uterus right now."

God, it sounded so weird to hear those words out his mouth. At least he actually paid attention to Dr. Sun's lesson.

"If only," Piper grumbled, "I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could."

Hums were her only answer, and it set off her tingly reporter senses. She looked up at him and grew curious as to what seemed to marvel him in his thoughts, especially when a soft warm smile stretched the corner of his mouth. He set the wine bottle aside and handed her cutlery, then sat on the edge of the bed as he waited for her to dig in to the steak; but he wasn't waiting for praise, as she assumed.

"I hope ya don't. I want kids with you, Piper."

Thank god the steak went _out_ of her mouth as fast as it went in, or she would've choked on it. Her head whipped up in a fury as she stared at him in disbelief; this was a complete 180. No words came to mind, not that she could even think to search for any in the first place. He didn't laugh at her. He just had that soft warm smile the whole time, and he scooted closer as he took her hand in his lap.

"Hear me out. You're the only one who makes me believe this stuff could actually happen, luv. If y'asked me yesterday, I prolly woulda laughed and said _'that ain't the life for me',_ just like that time with the whole spreading love and joy to all the kids around. But today... I was freakin' out, and y'didn't just calm me down. You said and made me **believe** that I'd be a good dad." He gestured to the radio, and then the steak. "Doing all this really helped me, 'cause I could see myself doin' this for kids too. I don't wanna shoot shite and pay off debts anymore. I wanna play; I miss my niece, and I like hangin' out with your little sister. And I think you'd be an amazing mum too. You'd raise actual human beings, just like yer dad, just like how you're teachin' _me,_ and this world needs more people like you. I'd teach 'em how to survive, but you'd teach 'em how to _live._"

"G-Garrett..."

"Now I'm not sayin' right this second, or soon as yer period stops. I'm a patient man and I'll wait 'til you're ready; but I'm a greedy man too, luv. I don't just wanna be in your future. I wanna _build_ a future with you. I wanna scream inside at myself for how fuckin' daft I am, singing songs, 'cause what kind of professional killer _sings?_ But I like it. I like that you do that to me." He sucked in a few quick breaths, his rushed rambling robbing him of all air. "I don't want my old life anymore, but I don't think I can get rid of it because I still got a lot of debts to pay and it's the only life I know, so the likelihood of all this happening is... Well. It's gonna take a long time. But I need something to look forward to. I need t'know if you see _one more tomorrow_ with me too."

Garrett finally took slow and deep breaths, his hands nervously running along his thighs again. He had an anxious look about him, fidgety, eyes rarely holding hers. His gaze cast down to the floor as he mumbled. "Uh, that's it for my... I guess it's a kind of speech, innit? Sorry it was so long." He coughed to clear his throat, and his tone switched back to the gruff and tough guy he always hid behind. "Yeah... So whaddaya think, Piper? Cap for your thoughts?"

Piper stared blankly, processing his words as she collected her thoughts. She already knew her decision; rarely had she ever gone against her gut feeling, and it beat hard and fast inside of her. She set the tray aside and shimmied out of the sheets, coming over to sling her legs off the edge of the bed and sit beside him. She brushed shoulders, watching how his fingers twitched instinctively when her hand bumped the back of his, but he didn't take it. So she did. She leaned to the side and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she tried to imagine tomorrow. She didn't have to. She was already in the heat of it all in the _present,_ and she smiled as the words perfectly fell into place.

"You are my today and all of my tomorrows, Garrett."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_As you can tell, I was in a very sappy mood today, writing this one lol. The honeymoon stage won't last for much longer though and we'll see these two badasses back in action soon enough. Hope you enjoyed this dose of cavity-inducing fluff and see you in the next chapter! Have a lovely day and cheers :)  
_

_P.S. Just as a reminder, fanfiction is still glitching on me with the PMs but I emailed support today so hopefully I'll have it fixed soon and will reply ASAP!_


	24. Green-Eyed Monster

_**Chapter 24: Green-Eyed Monster**_

* * *

Days passed with a selfish man selflessly catering Piper, and she had honestly contemplated on wishing for that time of the month to extend a little bit longer. On the last day when she hadn't felt or _seen_ anything, she still played it off like she had massive cramps, biting her cheek to stop herself from grinning like a madwoman when Garrett did literally _anything_ she asked. The office was in spiffy condition, the press machines were running like clockwork, and her precious 'Publick Occurrences' sign mounted on the trailer was finally fixed. Some of the crooked letters had been bugging her for months, but she never had any time to climb up there and fix them.

Now, she got some very entertaining eye candy as she made up excuses and directed Garrett to fix the last crooked letter. An evil smile was easily in plain sight whenever he _wasn't_ looking at her for her next command, and she indulged in the view of sweaty muscles rippling as he tore off the letter and welded it at a different angle. A girl could get real comfortable watching this _show _all day.

Unfortunately, there was only so much metal left to melt.

"Alright, luv, this is the last time!" Garrett lifted his welding helmet and looked down from a sketchy ladder on a sketchy roof, angling the letter 'k' in Publick in his free hand. "Are you _sure_ you want it like this?" Looked like this was the end of ogling at his body in action. _Damn. _"No take backsies after this!"

Piper cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, "I'm positive! Go ahead!" She turned away when he waved her off and shielded her eyes, listening to the sparks fly. She smirked when she heard his helmet hit the ground, followed by boots and a flurry of tired curses. She turned around and had moved to give him a peck on the cheek, only to pull away the last second and wrinkle her nose at the pungent body odor emitting from him like some sort of radiation barrel. "Eugh, god..."

This part?

Not sexy.

"That's right, _suffer,_ luv. This is whatcha get for makin' me suffer up there for like the past who knows _how_ many hours." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a disgustingly sweaty embrace, rubbing his cheek against hers. She groaned and tried to push him away, but her hands kept slipping, laughing even though she was utterly repulsed. Good thing these weren't clothes she cared about. He stopped teasing and held her close, resting his chin on the top of her head as he turned them to face the sign. There was a notable sense of pride in his voice; well deserved. "Never would I ever thought I'd be fixin' that, when I first stepped in this city with ya."

"Thought your _Boss_ would remain broke and homeless, did you?"

"Didn't just think it," he yawned, "believed it, too."

"Yeah, yeah," Piper reached behind and pinched his sweaty waist - or tried to. "It's been a long road, and we still have a lot of miles ahead of us."

"Yeah..." His body felt heavier by the second, his muscles growing sluggish. They ignored the way others looked at them as they awkwardly walked back inside, and Piper couldn't stop smiling at how silly he was, holding her as he waddled behind. "I'm right knackered, luv. Don't s'pose I can catch a kip before whatever y'want me to fix up next?"

"Nah, no more _Mr. Handy_ chores," she smirked with pride when he sniggered. "You earned a break today. C'mon, I'll make you some coffee."

Garrett reached under her arm pit and opened the door for her, turning her the moment they were safe from public eyes. He pushed her against the door and framed her jaw as he leaned down to steal her lips for far too fast of a second, whispering when he pulled away. "_Thanks, Angel._" He lumbered over and fell on the couch with another yawn, folding his hands behind his head as he crossed his ankles and propped his feet up on the arm rest.

Within seconds of setting the water in the pot and switching on the hot plate, Piper froze at the sound of soft snores. She smiled to herself and set the coffee pot aside, quietly heading upstairs to grab the sheets and went to drape them over Garrett. She watched as the stress of life melted away from his dirty oil-streaked face and held her breath as she leaned over, gently combing his bangs away to kiss the only clean spot left on his forehead. "Sweet dreams, Garrett."

Time was in abundance for her now, but she didn't want to stir or leave the _beast._ She went back upstairs and rearranged her terminal, then plugged it in and cracked her knuckles as she waited for the screen to flicker to life. She skipped over reader complaints and went straight to the Publick Perspectives Archive, sighing when there were a plethora of new messages.

Past messages were combed over first, and she read her responses to Pair-Amores and Teen Troubles and, her new personal favorite for recent reasons, Alone in the Upper Stands.

"New friends crop up in the most unlikely places," she chuckled to herself. "Yeah, I definitely got that part right." She searched her desk drawer for cigarettes and a nuka cola, lighting up her smoke as she braced herself for the daunting task ahead of solving other peoples' problems. There was a stack of books she was definitely going to crack open after this.

Hours passed by and she'd almost grown _numb _of replying to anyone, knowing that was her cue to cut things off and wait for another day until she was in the right frame of mind again. Knocks alerted her and she heard the beast stir abruptly. "The fuck was that?"

"Someone's at my door," she shouted over her shoulder, "do you mind getting it? I'll be down there in a minute, just finishing up my work here."

"Sure, luv." That had been a stark contrast to the grumble she caught under his breath. "Better not be an arsehole with _ideas._"

"You're the only arsehole with _ideas,_ Garrett," she teased, grinning when she wrought a laugh from him.

"Hawk ears, I tell ya. Nothin' is safe to say in here." More amusing grumbles were caught by her _hawk ears,_ from him complaining about the 'arsehole' at the door, to wondering how in the bloody hell he got so tangled up in the sheets like a cocoon. She sincerely hoped whoever was at the door was someone truly innocent like Nat or maybe some other child, and she'd make sure she rushed over just to watch his awkward dance as she witnessed the glorious sight of Garrett eating his words.

But it wasn't anyone innocent.

Creaks rang out, and Garrett's cuss didn't waste any time. "Fuckin' Cowboy." A fleeting second, and Piper held her breath, noting the confusion in his tone. "Leo? Luki?"

Something about that made Piper's heart drop to her stomach. And then she remembered a vitally important fact, back when she was 'kidnapped' again.

_"I persuaded him to take a couple of the privates to help him find your friend, that detective guy, right?"_

"Oh fuck," she hissed, scrambling for her pistol before she charged down the stairs.

_"I'm gonna pay the privates my cut if they make it back alive."_

Garrett's in danger. This was a very real threat; why the hell would Blue bring them back here? Maybe he wasn't aware of this arrangement? Maybe he thought it'd be fair for them to get paid after all this work, and maybe he didn't have the money to do it himself, so the privates 'kidnapped' him too. Or maybe-

...It was none of the above.

Piper stood behind Garrett, gawking like a dumbass when she stared at the three men patiently waiting to be let inside. Garrett twisted to her with a horrified look on his face.

"Boss, are they wearing what I think they're wearing?"

"Y-yeah..." Piper roved over their uniforms, and then burst out laughing when Garrett whipped back into the house and cursed to the heavens, begging for someone to shoot him. "I could help with that!" Came her quick interjection, but the tease fell short when he didn't bite the bait. She turned to the men and stepped aside with a bright grin as she gestured for them to enter. "Come on in. The Minutemen will always be welcome here."

**x - x - x**

Whines shot out like he was stepping on a rubber ducky at a furious pace, his leg bouncing up and down on the ratty floorboard. It expressed his agitation just in case if it was missed from his cusses and dirty looks; Piper would shoot him a deathly look before she'd go back to interviewing Cowboy, who wasn't even a fucking Cowboy anymore.

"What the hell am I s'pose to call 'im now?" Gat mumbled under his breath, eyeing the lack of a cowboy hat and the eyeful of a dumb army helmet. It stoked something deep inside, and he tried to label it _competition,_ but Piper's voice kept echoing in his thoughts like a broken record.

_"You're not worried. You're jealous. You don't trust me."_

He did trust her. He did.

...Right?

He wanted to. He did. He had to. He kept telling himself that he completely trusted her, but what he didn't trust were the boys who've turned into fucking _Minutemen._ Why the hell would they bend over and get screwed like that? A true Gunner should have laughed in the face of such an offer, because it was easily the worst deal ever to make. To sell his life for nothing? No thanks. Hard pass. Quincy should have been a wake up call for everybody after one of the Minuteman's own betrayed and joined the Gunners, because that was the _sensible_ way to survive. Caps. Not goodwill.

Piper got by on goodwill. It wasn't an insensible way to survive and thrive, and her life was rich where he was poor.

This was driving him batty. He was utterly torn, but he made sure to stay close to the side of Piper to cut Leo off from his ganders. That bloke could never keep his hands and comments to himself when it came to women. Minuteman or no, nobody could ever convince Gat that the _fundamentals_ of a human being could change at the core just by putting on a different uniform.

"So... The Institute is involved..." Piper leaned back in her chair and took a drag from her cigarette, staring at her notepad. Gat leaned to look over her shoulder, frowning when he saw sparse keywords. _Kidnapping. Dead mercenary. Family gone. Institute._ He stole a look at Cowboy - he refused to call the knob jockey _Blue_ \- and saw the hopelessness in his dead eyes; it was getting increasingly hard not to blurt _'I told you so'_ to Piper. This was the pain he tried to spare her from: she couldn't save everybody or solve their problems. Her heart was going to bleed out if this kept up.

"Nick's digging for information again," Cowboy sighed, "but he recommended that I come see you since you've been investigating them for years."

"Boss," Gat pleaded under his breath, but she simply cast him a stern look and shook her head. His leg started racing again when the truth tumbled out of her.

"I don't have much," Piper confessed, "they're elusive and efficient. I have reason to believe they've contracted the Gunners to kidnap me, so long as there were witnesses."

"Which was me and those part of the kidnapping," Cowboy murmured, and she nodded.

"This way they'd quell the 'rumors' about them and effectively silence the truth without rousing suspicion to themselves if everybody could just blame the Gunners. Convenient timing, isn't it? They finally gain notice after I publish The Synthetic Truth and oust the mayor who couldn't keep me out of the city. Not without sabotaging who he really is, then." Piper scribbled _Mayor McDon-UGH _on her notepad next. "Did you get any information from the mercenary?"

"None, apart from the confirmation that the Institute was involved and he said I'd never see my family ever again. I knew I wasn't going to make him talk even if I captured him alive." Cowboy glanced at the other gunners.

_Ex-_gunners, Gat reminded himself. Fucking Minutemen... They were just going to fall apart and be destroyed from the inside out again. So bloody daft.

"Don't lose hope, Blue." Piper set her notepad aside and leaned forward, reaching for Cowboy's hand. Something hot and dark gnarled inside of Garrett when those delicate little fingers brushed over Cowboy's knuckles. "You _will_ see your family again, and soon. I promise." Why was she making promises she couldn't keep? She just admitted she didn't turn up much after **years** of investigation. "And I know how we're going to get inside." She let go - thank god - and looked at Gat, smiling that clever smile... But there was a hint of it that showed she knew it was just as much of a bad idea as it was a good one. And he knew then, too.

"No."

"Garr-" she stopped and recovered with a clear of her throat. "Gat. It's the only way."

"It's not the only way. There are tons of other ways that don't involve sacrificing yourself for some sad fucking bloke who failed to protect his family."

"What did you say?" Cowboy growled, rising from the couch. Piper's quiet plea for peace went unheard as Gat rose from the chair to meet the man face to face, snarling.

"I said you failed to protect your family, and that's on _you. _Don't go dragging everybody else in your mess and make them give up their lives for you, fuckin' wanker."

"I'm not asking anybody to give up their lives for me. I'm asking for information."

"Don't think I'm bloody stupid, mate. It's obvious you're-"

"I don't have to think it when you're proving it."

"-hidin' behind words, manipulatin' people. You're just waiting for this bleedin' heart to-"

"**Enough**!" Piper yelled as she snapped up and came between the men, pushing them away from each other. "If you can't set your differences aside, fine. I don't freakin' expect you two to _grow up,_ but I do expect you two to think about the people who have been kidnapped and are held hostage. I know that if I were a hostage _again,_ I wouldn't want my friends to bicker like children." She shot a withering look at Gat. "Stop projecting your shit on Blue. You _let_ me be kidnapped, so I'm sure you'll have no issues letting it happen again."

Being good with words was a double-edged sword. She knew how to persuade and she knew how to _cut,_ and it cut deep, especially in the hands of a woman who reacted on feelings just as much as thought; if only she hadn't fired with her heart this time. Gat stood slack-jawed in the face of the inferno burning in front of him, knowing there was no way he could extinguish the flames. She was going to burn like a wildfire as she always had. He didn't know what to say or do. He knew what he _wasn't_ going to do, even if he tried: to change her mind.

That would only happen in his dreams, and he didn't dream it for a reason. It was a waste of time to.

Coughs drew their attention to one of the privates, or minutemen, or whatever the hell he could even be called anymore. Gat's blood boiled at the sight of a cat-like smile spreading on Leo's face. "Permission to speak freely, Sergeant?"

"Permission denied," Gat growled hotly.

"Oh well. Good thing we're not gunners no more." Leo took out a comb from his pocket and fixed his daft pompadour, his sleazy smile directed at Piper. "Ms. Wright-" piss off, don't cozy up to her and don't treat her like a dumbass. She would find out who he really was in no time. "-the only way your idea would work is if you had a Gunner 'kidnap' you again. Now, I don't know how you got out, but if an exchange was about to happen then they know the Sergeant is on your side if he got you out then. If an exchange didn't happen and our beloved Sergeant was stupid enough to let you out before getting paid-"

"Caps, huh? _F__unny,_" Gat drawled sarcastically, "that this is coming from a fuckin' wanker who joined the Minutemen."

"-then they would know because he was always the coward that volunteered for guard duty and cozied up to our marks. Didn't have the balls for the other jobs." Leo smirked when Gat snapped, kicking the coffee table aside. Piper grabbed his wrist when he reeled his fist back, shouting at him to calm down. He couldn't. He wasn't. He was going to pummel this fucking freak into the ground if he didn't shut his mouth. "Only had balls to slap against our marks. Poor girls, wasn't enough to get sold off. Had to fuck them all too."

"Fuck you! That was you, motherfucker!" Gat hissed, ready to put this shitwit in the ground right _now._ Leo was lucky he was in Piper's house or his brain matter would be staining the walls. "The only reason I let you live this long was because Top woulda stripped me if I killed you; but like you said, we're not gunners no more. You watch your fuckin' back, mate, because you're always going to be in my crosshairs now." His glare settled on Cowboy. "You better watch your fuckin' back around this shitstain too, Cowboy, 'cause I guarantee you, he didn't join out of the kindness of his fuckin' heart. He don't have a heart. Advice is _free of charge._"

"Gat," Piper urged, "_please..._"

Luki silently rose from the couch and shoved Leo towards the door. Thank bloody god one of the privates had a brain and the sense to use it to keep calm. How he had ever tolerated that _freak_ was beyond Gat, but maybe Luki just figured it wasn't his place to say anything. Or maybe he just didn't care. When Luki opened the door, Gat drew his pistol and aimed it at a synth that stood on the other side, but Piper hastily brought her body weight down on his arm to force him to lower his gun. "Don't shoot! He's a friend; that's Nick, the detective."

"Nick?" Gat gritted his teeth. The detective they all went to rescue was a fucking _synth?_ They were trying to plan how to infiltrate the Institute and there was a very clear spy right in front of them. His blood boiled even hotter and white noise rang in his ears as everybody cozied up to each other, and Piper even hugged the synth as the bloody _thing_ joked about welcome parties and friendly reception. His finger itched on the trigger, especially when Leo's gaze roved down Piper's body while she was _busy_ chatting up the spy. Gat couldn't take it anymore, but he couldn't shoot his problems away anymore, either.

Not when Piper was still his number one problem.

Gat shut off. He went upstairs, collected his things, tuning out the conversations below. She hadn't even noticed he left, and if she did, then she was too bloody occupied with everything else. It _hurt._ He was supposed to be a man, a tough guy, and yet this hurt so fucking much inside that he just wanted to rip his own god damn heart out. He gave her everything he could and made her #1 despite the dear position his family held in his heart.

And still he was pushed aside for some fucking stranger with a sob story.

This wasn't what he signed up for. He knew she had a penchant for helping at the expense of herself, but he never knew he'd be forgotten so easily too. Call him selfish, sure. He knew he was. He knew she was selfless. He knew they'd butt heads for things like this... But it was still **agony** even when he knew all that, and he couldn't breathe. He needed air before he suffocated in here.

Gat slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and didn't bother heading back downstairs, so he left through the rooftop and head straight for the bounty board by Moe's shop. There was no way he could say goodbye to her. There was no way he could just stand and _watch_ her be kidnapped and sold off, fueled purely on hope and whims and optimism that everything would just work out perfectly thereafter. It wouldn't. Even if she found Cowboy's family and got information, how the hell was she going to get out, and get them out? The Institute meant painful business with her, no doubt. They weren't just going to let some reporter roam freely in their facilities.

"Bloody daft woman, going off, half-cocked... What happened to the gun and the bullet?" He tore the paper stabbed to the bounty board and turned around, his gaze falling on another aggravating woman at the noodle bar, using the fucking article as a place mat again. She was just begging for trouble now; there were a hundred of other things she could use if she was so _concerned_ about making a mess with her food. Or she could eat neater. Who the hell was she, anyways? Probably some snob from the Upper Stands if she cared about cleanliness.

Gat approached her and saddled up on the stool beside her, resting his fist against his head. He waited until she either stopped ignoring him, or finally took notice of him.

"Great," she sighed, "just what I really fuckin' needed today." She turned in her stool with a fed up look and a fire in her eyes. "The hell do you want _now,_ creep?"

"You know what I want."

"Well you're not gettin' my body, so eyes off the merchandise, pervert. I'm not selling today."

_He_ was the pervert? Wait until she met that freak Leo. She'd get along with him real well if she was implying what Gat thought she was implying.

"That ain't-" he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he exploded and shot up this daft bar. Patience. Calm. He was a sniper, he had to be able to do at least that much. "Don't play stupid, y'know what I want." He exhaled slowly and opened his eyes, jerking his chin to her place mat. "That right there is what I want - what I want you to _stop_ using. Why the hell is it so bloody hard for you, mate?"

"Why the fuck do you care?" There was an emptiness in her feral green eyes, but the fire in them was the complete opposite to Piper's; cold and _sick._ "Do you think she does?"

Gat stared, then slithered off the stool without another word.

...But with one of the hardest questions of his life.


	25. Guns for Hire

_**Chapter 25 FINALE: Guns for Hire**  
_

* * *

"Alright, I think this is a solid plan." Piper scribbled the last of her notes and snuffed the cigarette in her ashtray, rising from her chair to show the men out. "Let's start organizing this tomorrow; I still have some things I need to take care of on my end."

Namely: the man steaming upstairs. She wasn't looking forward to their coming argument.

"Are you sure about this, Ms. Wright?" Blue frowned with worry, his gaze skittering to the stairs. "I'd understand if-"

"I'm sure."

No, no she wasn't; or at least, she wasn't sure how she was going to get Garrett on board and play his part if he wasn't here to agree or disagree, but it was safe to say he disagreed with it all completely. Her powers of persuasion were going to be tested to the limit today.

"Why's everyone got their panties in a twist over the Sarge? Trust me, he'll be just fine." Leo shrugged, combing his pompadour as he eyed Piper _appreciatively. _She would have been blind to miss the obvious leering, and focused on just _breathing_ to soothe her broiling temper; it would be a waste of time saying anything about it though, and it was clear this man thrived off confrontation and attention. She didn't blame Garrett for snapping the way he did. It honestly astonished her when Leo stood up and made an overt move as he walked over and casually slung an arm around her shoulders, to which she promptly shoved off. "Aw, now don't be like that, honey. It's clear to see you don't wanna deal with the baby upstairs and I _know _I can show you a better time than him."

"No thanks, not interested," she growled through gritted teeth, glaring at him. He whistled, but it was cut short.

"Leo, stop." It was the first words Luki said throughout the entire meeting; she honestly thought that maybe he was deaf or just lacking a _tongue_ up until this point. Luki grabbed the mischievous man's elbow and began to drag him out to the door, glancing over his shoulder at Piper. His sunglasses made it impossible to deign what was truly reflected in his eyes. "I am sorry for my friend's behavior. Please pass on my apology to the Sergeant as well."

A mercenary with manners? What was his story?

Not the time to be a reporter.

"I will," Piper smiled sincerely, "thank you." She looked over at Blue and Nick as she politely gestured to the door, stepping aside to make room for them. They tipped their hats and bid quiet goodbyes, and Piper waved it off when Nick twisted, his cold synthetic eyes betraying the worry in his tone.

"You uh... You sure you don't want someone to stay here? Just in case?"

"Don't worry so much, Nick. I can handle myself." Piper playfully shoved him out the door. "Now go home before you give Ellie a heart attack and make her think you're missing again."

"Heh," Nick smiled crookedly and tipped his hat again. "Cya tomorrow, Piper. You take care."

"You too, Nick." Piper closed the door and turned to lean against it, closing her eyes as she drew in a long and slow breath. "_I can do this,_" she chanted silently. She could do this. Did she want to? No. But she had to. This wasn't just to help Blue, but an opportunity to finally discover the truth about the Institute and warn the Commonwealth of the very real danger before them. She had to take her own fate in her own hands and help shape the future she wanted to be a part of, and make sure it was a future that was safe for Nat too. Hopefully Nat would be alright with Nick watching over her. There was no doubt in Piper's mind that her little sister was going to hate her for the rules about to be imposed on her for her safety.

But first, she had to make sure Garrett would be part of the plan. If not, she'd think up something with the group tomorrow. "Garrett? They're all gone now. It's... _Safe_ to come back down here." She waited for an answer, or sound, or movement, or _something._ Only silence answered her. Piper steeled herself and forced her feet to march for the stairs, a dreadful feeling brewing in her stomach. "Garrett? C'mon, don't be mad at-" she rounded the corner and stared at her empty room.

Fear struck her right in the core, and her heart dropped to her stomach as bile rose to her throat. His duffel bag was gone. The door lock was undone. When had he left?

When...

He _left._

He left her behind. He broke his promise, his vow. Just like that, without hearing her out, without waiting for her, he left her behind and she was sick to her stomach and the strength was drained from her legs. She barely caught her chair in time and buried her head in her hands, emotions tightening around her throat until it damn near choked her. Tears never came. She was reeling, dazed that he'd actually _leave_ her again; desperation kicked into gear and she scrambled out through the rooftop, eyes peeled for every single body in the marketplace crowd. She rushed back inside and tore down the stairs, uncaring of locking the doors behind her as she head to the marketplace.

There was only one place he'd go to, at this point. He needed caps, but he didn't want to be a gunner anymore. Piper charged for the bounty board and saw the remnants of a ripped paper pinned by a nail. She went to Moe, who was closing up his stall, on the edge of panic as she stumbled through her words. "M-Moe, did you see a man here by the board earlier? He has a gunner tattoo on his forehead. Or maybe wearing an army hat? Does that ring a bell?"

"Huh? Sorry, what was that?" He turned around slowly, old joints popping along as he did. She couldn't afford to wait and went to question every passerby that was unlucky enough to cross her path. Many had ignored her and cussed at her when she tried to grab them to stop them; their threats for calling security on her for harassment went ignored, but she couldn't afford to head to the _Piper Suite_ tonight.

"Garrett!" Piper shouted as loud as she could, her throat raw and scratchy. A familiar lady at the noodle bar twisted to her and was the only one who met her gaze, and Piper rushed over to her. The lady groaned and ripped the article out from underneath her bowl, then held it out.

"Alright! Fuck, I get the point! Just leave me the fuck alone already!"

"I don't care about the article," Piper urged, "did he bug you again? The guy with the gunner tattoo?"

"When does he fuckin' _not?_ Is he your boyfriend or somethin'? Tell him to leave me the hell alone or I'll have you both-"

"Just tell me where he is. How long ago was he here? Did you see where he went?"

"Wha...? I don't know. Ten minutes, maybe? Could probably catch up to him if y'quit bugging me and run off after him."

"But where did he go? Did he have a paper in his hands?"

"I guess," the lady shrugged, grumbling cusses under her breath about her shitty luck as she devoured the rest of her noodles. "Now piss off and lemme eat in peace."

Adrenaline pumped through and Piper stormed off without thinking. She had barely enough sense to head back home just to grab her pistol and nothing else. She locked up, curses screaming within her mind as she head for the exit. That man was going to be the death of her. Why couldn't he wait for her? Why couldn't he hear her out? Why couldn't he just _trust_ her? She had been in all sorts of stickier situations; hell, they both have, and she couldn't understand what was so fundamentally different about this one now. As long as they were together, they could tackle any problem. She had faith in that anyways.

Guess he didn't.

Why was she chasing him? Why chase after an asshole who couldn't meet her halfway, who refused to stay and listen to her and would rather run away? She didn't know what was going on in his mind anymore. She didn't know what was going on in her mind anymore, either.

Piper ran out the gate and dashed to look down every alleyway, trying to decide which one to even pick when she hadn't caught him in any of them. The bounty had to be in the vicinity of Diamond City to be relevant and problematic enough to pay off strangers to fix, so at least it wasn't like she had to start running off to Goodneighbor; but what if he took a bounty just to mislead her?

Gunshots rang out, and she froze as realization struck. She'd recognize this caliber anywhere. Piper took off sprinting and wove between alleyways, leaping over heaps of trash; a small smirk danced at a wicked joke in her head. At least he picked the right spot for camouflage to mask his body odor. She kept to the walls and clicked off the safety on her pistol just in case when another shot rang out, echoing in the same alleyway she was in. She wove through the maze until she entered a clearing, whispering so that she hadn't announced her position to the world. "_Garrett? Are you here?_"

One last shot - _behind _her - and she whirled around as she aimed her pistol, paralyzed to see his rifle aimed at her too.

...In the hands of the lady from the market.

**x - x - x**

Gat doubled over, vomiting on his lap when pure agony shocked him awake. He groaned and squinted when bright lights engulfed his vision, cussing when another round of electricity shot through his body at the slap of a baton. "Fuck! What the fuck do you want?!" He screamed in between the hits, his entire body left a quivering mess by the time he was finally granted reprieve. The sparks shut off from the baton and the tip was pressed under his chin, lifting his head. He withheld the fierce urge to spit in his torturer's face.

Cleaned. Groomed. Not a single speck of dirt on the black uniform. This sterile white room and gadgets licked clean of rust was the beginning of a nightmare for him.

"Is this the Institute?" Gat rasped weakly, and braced himself when the baton waved over his head, the sparks igniting to life.

"I will ask the questions here," the monotone voice echoed, "and you will answer them. If you do not..." The baton _tapped_ against Gat's thigh, and he thrashed viciously in his chair as the charge coursed through his body, wrecking havoc as muscles pulled in opposite directions. "That will happen."

"_F-fuck..._" Ragged breaths sounded hollow in his ear as white noise rang inside his brain, the bile sitting at the back of his throat as his entire body was wracked by involuntary shudders. He hung forward, his arms locked behind by handcuffs chaining him to each leg of the chair. A quick look over showed the chair was bolted down. There was no way he could escape as he was now. He refused to lift up his head despite the horrid and embarrassing smell, his gaze soldered to the pathetic mess of soiled pants.

"First question: if we hire you, will you work for the Institute?"

"Fuck no."

"I thought you might say that. Second question: if we hire you, will you work for the Institute if you have _no choice?_"

What the fuck was with this freak? Gat didn't like what that question implied and reluctantly looked up at the man's cold eyes. Was he a synth? "What do you mean-"

The baton cut him off and he howled in agony.

"Fuck! What the fuck do you-"

"Unless you want your heart to give out, effectively killing you, may I remind you that I am the one asking questions here?" The torturer knelt and grabbed Gat's chin, forcing him to look at the only door in the room. "Bring them in," the man yelled over his shoulder. When the door opened and revealed another captor with two girls, Gat nearly puked again and his gaze snapped to the torturer. Everything fell into place.

He had no choice.

"_Please..._"

"Daddy?" The little girl - _his niece _\- broke free from her captor and ran to him, her frail arms hooking around his battered and bloodied shoulders when the torturer stepped aside, smirking at him. Gat's gaze panned to his sister, terror housed in her eyes and hand-print bruises on her arms. "Daddy, I'm scared..." His niece buried her face in his neck, pain lacing him when she accidentally tugged until his handcuffs dug into his wrists.

"Everything will be alright baby, I promise," he murmured in her hair, never taking his eyes off as he glowered at his torturer. "I get the point. You win. What's my job?"

One of the captors took out a folder and handed it to the torturer, who opened it up and set the dossier on the ground in front of Gat.

This had to be a nightmare.

"Piper Wright has evaded capture and has gone into hiding with her associates. We have intel and evidence that you two were romantically involved; therefore, the Institute has reached the conclusion that you would be best suited for this job as you know her methods, and you would be able to bring her in quietly since she trusts you. I believe you do not need me to tell you what the consequences would be if you fail... But just so that you know the Institute means business, allow me to provide an example in case you try to have a change of heart during the mission." The torturer meandered to his sister, running the uncharged baton down her thigh. When his niece turned to look, Gat snapped.

"Don't look, baby." Or she'd be damaged. After all these years of trying to protect her innocence, and he failed. "Put yer hands over your ears and sing the fire song."

"Don't let them hurt mommy, daddy!"

"We'll survive like we always have Garrett," his sister blurted, "so don't give them-"

Her shrieks ripped through the air when the baton slammed against her knee. She collapsed on the floor cursing and crying, and his niece ran back to her, yelling when the captor grabbed her and dragged her away. The torturer crushed his boot down on the broken knee, and Gat fought like hell not to fall apart in front of them as his sister struggled to do the same.

"We'll survive," she whimpered, yelping when the baton connected with her ribs. "Rose, honey, sing with me. Help daddy _remember._" The world grew misty as his sister sang the song, each word strained and choked out in between the beatings. Gat couldn't take it anymore and broke down when his niece joined along, closing his eyes as he tried to drown them out of his mind by rattling the chains of his handcuffs. All he could think of was what he said to Cowboy, and how Piper would have _loved_ to witness Gat eat his words. No doubt about it.

"I don't want to set the world on fire..."

_"I said you failed to protect your family, and that's on you."_

**x - x - x**

"Are you sure we're safe here?" Piper paced back up and down the subway rail tracks, stopping and holding her breath every now and then as she listened to faint inhuman moans down the tunnel. Ferals. She looked up at the ex-gunners. "What about Blue?"

"He ordered us to take you down here," Luki explained calmly, "while he and Nick found a secure place for your sister to stay at. After we left your place and camped out, the General discovered that the Institute is watching over the Commonwealth by using crows, so we have to stay underground."

"What? How did he find out?"

"We were hungry," Leo shrugged, "closest thing to hunt were the birds. The little shits were chock full of plastic and wires." He unloaded his last backpack and untied a sleeping bag, kicking away pebbles and loose tiles as he laid it down. "I can make one more run before the sun goes down." He wiped the sweat off his brow and gave up fixing his pompadour as he turned to her. "Have anything else for me to 'steal' from your place?"

Piper walked over to the bags he'd already trekked down here, but she was too rattled to think. Deep breaths didn't help her. She was in full on panic mode; Garrett was kidnapped because of her, and there was a very real chance the Institute would target everyone around her if they couldn't get her. Hiding wasn't going to stop them.

Leo's questions bled out in the back of her thoughts and she continued to pace, fingers gnarling her hair as her nails sank in her scalp. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what they were doing to him; would she ever see him again? If she did, would it be _synth-_Garrett?

Guilt grew astronomically and consumed her with despair, and her legs gave out from underneath as she fell to the ground, burying her face in her palms as a tearless sob gutted through her core. A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder and it tore her apart; she hunched over until the cold metal rail touched her forehead.

"This is all my fault," she mumbled, "I-I thought it'd be worth it, the search for the truth, even despite the consequences. I was prepared to pay them. He wasn't. What am I supposed to do? And his family... Oh god... I don't even know where they are." Nausea nearly overwhelmed her and she slapped a palm over her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut as tightly as possible to stop the tears before it kicked the bile out of her. "What if they're killed because the caps aren't sent anymore?"

"Hey," Luki rubbed her back, patting it. "You don't need to worry about a thing, Ms. Wright."

"How can you say that?" She groaned hopelessly, and another hand came upon her other shoulder, calloused fingers cupping her chin and tilting her to look up.

"He can say that because he knows it; he's pretty smart that way." Leo's playful cat-like smile melted away into an uncharacteristic serious look. "We'll bring everybody home," he stated sternly. "Trust the General. Trust the Sergeant. They're both the toughest and most stubborn sons of bitches I've ever worked with and like hell are they ever gonna give up. I'm willin' ta bet you got a taste of just how stubborn the Sarge is."

"I... Yeah..." Piper smiled sadly, grateful for the hands that helped her stand back up on shaky legs. She took a deep breath and head over to the bags Leo trekked over from as many things he could 'steal' from her home. She was eternally grateful the fierce flirting and leering had finally stopped, sifting through her things as she decided what to do now. A change of clothes was in order. She shed her precious favorites and swapped them out with a different bag; if the Institute was watching her from the crows, then red was like painting a bullseye on her.

Self-consciousness was no longer a thing when she stripped her shirt and pants, smiling to herself when she heard Luki cuss at Leo to look away and give privacy. She didn't care, not as much, anyways; there were things far larger at stake now. She still had her gun nearby in case if Leo tried to get _handsy_ with her. She changed into fresh clothes and unfolded a black trench coat, donning it as soon as it sparked an idea.

"We should get some rest now," she spoke over her shoulder, "the best way to travel around will be through underground subways like this during the daytime; but a lot of these tunnels will be collapsed and infested with ferals, so we'll have to be prepared to travel at night instead. It'll be harder to be spotted by the crows then."

"And we'd just have to worry about animals then," Luki noted, humming appreciatively. "Even raiders need to sleep. I like this idea, but we still have to wait for the General first."

Piper slid back the barrel of her pistol and checked it to ensure it was still in working order, then unloaded the mag and stuffed it in her pocket. She hid her favorite hat in her backpack before she secured her holster on her thigh and buttoned up her new jacket. After all was said and done, she broke off a rusted pipe from the exposed walkway and hopped up, well aware that the men chased closely after her - and with very good reason.

"Well, then, let's get some work done while we're waiting." Piper kicked opened one of the subway doors, her temper already boiling at the sight of the bloodied _lady _they tied up. She stomped over and ripped the gag out of the lady's mouth, unable to even get a word in before she was spat in the face. Piper reeled the pipe up in the air, ready to slam it down on the lady's ankle, but a hand snapped around her wrist. She shot a venomous glare over her shoulder, but Leo simply smiled. There was something sincerely wrong with the Gunners if all of these mercenaries laughed in the face of even her most deathly looks.

"Last I checked, you're a reporter." Leo's smile grew. "And since the General ain't here, you're the Boss. So you ask the questions."

Luki came up on the other side. "And let us guns pay the price if she doesn't answer you, Boss."

All Piper could hear was Garrett, and she struggled not to break down in memory of him; not until she got answers out of this bitch and found out what she did to him.

_"You're the gun, and I'm your bullet. Aim me and pull the trigger."_

No more Ms. Nice. This woman wasn't going to be let go, but she sure as hell was going to learn her lesson.

Maybe the Boss wasn't so different from the Guns after all.

_"You'd make a fine gunner."_

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED IN: HUMANITY FOR HIRE**_

_**Author's Note**_

_That's a wrap for this arc! Head over to the__ next sequel Humanity for Hire which I have already started up and features the return of the Lone Wanderer, along with various romance pairings either established or establishing (with Lone Wanderer and the return of another character to be the 2nd star couple alongside Garrett & Piper). Links are included in my profile to keep track of the trilogy's order. _

_Thank you everybody who gave this story a chance and stuck around for this journey, as well as those who have given both positive and constructive feedback. I'll always be open to learning and improving so if there's something fundamentally wrong in the way that I write, feel free to let me know as my goal is not just to improve my writing, but to also deliver a better story._

_I hope you still enjoyed despite the many hills, bumps and bruises. Apart from an identity crisis for both Piper and Garrett, I aim to explore the grey areas of every faction throughout Humanity for Hire, especially since there's more liberty for consequential changes in a story than what we get in the game._

_Cheers, have a lovely day, and hope to see you next time in the sequel!_


End file.
